Brussels, 22/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - Given the intensity of the fighting in Mali, the European Commission confirmed on Tuesday 22 January that it has made emergency humanitarian of €20 million available to help the victims of the escalating violence that is impacting on the problems of food shortages and malnourishment. An aid commitment was made at the end of 2012. The funding is now available and will be used to help feed and provide basic services to victims of the fighting. The number of victims may now be as high as 150,000, in addition to around 100,000 Malians who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
Kristalina Georgieva, the European commissioner for international cooperation, humanitarian aid and crisis response has been in Bamako since Monday to assess the situation and to work out how this aid can be spent as efficiently as possible. In a press release, the Commissioner declared: “The increasing impact of violence and fighting in the north has forced more than 350,000 people to flee to the south and to neighbouring countries and caused massive humanitarian needs. We increased our response by €20 million to …meet the increased humanitarian vulnerability”. The commissioner is appealing, “to other donors to act swiftly as the populations have been weakened by months for hardship”. She is also appealing, “to all parties to ensure the protection of civilians and the respect for international humanitarian law”.
Last year, the crisis in Mali created 145,000 refugees and 200,000 displaced persons within the country. Since the launch of the military operation, refugee camps set up in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and villages and towns in the south of Mali have been flooded with new arrivals. This situation is increasing the pressure on host communities who are already suffering from food shortages and have reached critical mass in their reception capacity.
In total, 10.8 million people are estimated to be in danger of food insecurity in the whole of the Sahel region, including 4.2 million Malians. In the north of Mali, 510,000 require emergency food aid.
In 2012, the European Commission allocated €73 million in humanitarian aid to victims of the food crisis and conflict in Mali. EU member states granted a further €38 million, which now brings the EU's humanitarian contribution up to €111 million. (AN/trans/fl)