Brussels, 09/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - For the second time this year, Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, is visiting Southeast Asia (7-12 September) to step up cooperation in one of the areas most prone to natural disaster and persistent humanitarian problems in the world.
The commissioner will hold meetings with government ministers and other stakeholders in Burma/Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. She will also be the first European Union commissioner to visit the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. Georgieva will raise a number of issues related to the EU's humanitarian aid operations in the region and will devote particular attention to disaster preparedness and disaster response management.
On Friday, just before she left for her visit, Commissioner Georgieva declared: “Economic growth and regional integration are a great opportunity and we are at the right moment for improving disaster resilience in a part of the world that is so prone to natural hazards and catastrophes. Europe and Asia can learn a lot from each other and work together more closely on preventing and preparing for disasters. I look forward to engaging in proactive and result-oriented dialogue with the policymakers and civil society in Yangon, Naypyidaw, Bangkok and Jakarta.”
Earlier in 2011 Georgieva travelled to Bangkok and the border between Thailand and Burma/Myanmar. She met with representatives of the Thai government and visited refugee camps and Commission-funded projects providing healthcare and food assistance to refugees from Burma/Myanmar.
Since 2010 the European Commission's humanitarian aid and civil protection department (ECHO) has provided over €100 million in funding for the region. This has benefitted millions of people affected by cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters, as well as people affected by conflict and displacement. The Commission's funding in this area also includes disaster preparedness activities at community level and were allocated in the following way: Southeast Asia: - Burma/Myanmar: €27.89 million; - Cambodia, €2.56 million; - Indonesia: €3.73 million; - Lao PDR: €2.8 million; - Philippines: €14.16 million; - Thailand: €16.2 million; - Vietnam: €3.1 million; for East Asia: - China: €0.07 million; - DPRK: 10.4 million; - Japan: €10 million; for the Pacific: - €5.96 million; and for disaster preparedness regional programmes covering several countries: €1.05 million. (A.N./transl.fl)