Brussels, 09/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission decided on a new aid, of EUR 13.5 million, destined for the victims of the civil war in Angola, which recently continued a new escalation, forcing more than a million people from their homes. This aid, which will be provided through Echo, will enable the provision of emergency medical aid, food aid, shelters and water purification programmes so as to reduce the risk of fatalities and disease among the most vulnerable in the population. Echo is negotiating with roughly 25 organisations so as to continue carrying out these programmes next year.
The Commissioner for Humanitarian aid Poul Nielson commented that "Angola is no longer in the headlines, this one more reason for us not to forget the civilians and especially the women and children who are hardest hit by the conflict."