The European Union is to mobilise €300 million in development aid in favour of the Caribbean to help the region to recover economically from the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, told the conference of donors for the Caribbean, in New York on Tuesday 21 November.
These financial resources will be taken from the European Development Fund dedicated to cooperation between the EU and the group of ACP (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) countries. It will support medium-term reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Cuba and the overseas countries and territories.
Only a third of this amount will be fresh money for the various countries concerned, the Commission states in a press release.
At the level of the entire Caribbean region, the money will help to increase long-term resilience. The EU intends to help the region to reinforce its capacity of resilience to natural disasters and climate change, said Commissioner Mimica, quoted by the Commission. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)