Cairo, 05/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - On the fringe of the Europe/Africa Summit (see above), Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Food Aid, has indicated what immediate action the Commission will be taking in order to face up to the food crisis in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Foodstuffs will no doubt be mobilised in the quantities required. Difficulties will concern transport and deliveries as, yet again, conflicts continuing in the region will hamper operations. Mr Nielson explained: "If there were peace and normal relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the port of Massawa would be available and the logistic problem would be easier to resolve".
The Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin had, during the summit, made an appeal for international aid as the drought has caused a dramatic reduction in the local farming production and the threat of famine is serious. According to the minister, 8 million people are threatened.
Mr Nielson specified that Commission officials are already on the ground to prepare the operations, that will cover 800,000 tonnes of food, if the situation allows. The food will first of all be intended for Ethiopia, but also to Eritrea, and to other countries of the region. In all, the persons targeted number 16 million (this figure of 16 million appears in an appeal to the international community made by the FAO, in Rome). Mr Nielson contacted the presidents of Eritrea and Djibouti personally in Cairo, as well as the Ethiopian Foreign Minister. Other operations are, moreover, envisaged for Sudan.