Brussels, 12/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is to step up its emergency humanitarian aid by €8 million for the vulnerable population of the Central African Republic (CAR) where the humanitarian situation is deteriorating, announced Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Crisis Response, on Thursday 11 July. She was speaking from the capital Bangui, where she was on a joint visit with Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
Funding will be used for the distribution of essential food and survival items, as well as the provision of shelter, health care, protection, water, hygiene and sanitation. The recipients of the funding will be the internally displaced, refugees and returnees.
“The entire population of more than four million people is affected by the ongoing crisis and suffer as a result of looting and violations of human rights. The situation is rapidly deteriorating. (…) I have seen for myself that events in CAR are having a humanitarian impact right across the central African region”, said the commissioner. Amos underlined the extent of humanitarian needs in the Central African Republic, pointing out that 1.6 million people are short of food and children are particularly vulnerable. Disease outbreaks including malaria and measles also threaten millions of people, she said.
The additional €8 million announced by Georgieva has still to be approved by Parliament and Council. Once approved, this will bring the EU's emergency relief to CAR so far this year to €20 million.
Since last year, the conflict in CAR has brought about the displacement of 206,000 people and nearly 55,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo has taken in 35,000 CAR refugees, and the Cameroon over 85,000. Chad, Darfur and South Sudan are also affected. (AN/transl.jl)