Brussels, 20/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission approved the granting of EUR 8.5 million to its humanitarian aid programmes in the Middle East: West Bank, Gazza Strip, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. The aid, channelled by ECHO (European Community Humanitarian aid Office), must enable international organisations and NGOs active on the ground to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees and the most vulnerable populations in the region in the framework of the programme centred on: a) upgrading shelters in refugee camps, b) aid to the Bedouin community in the West Bank suffering from a drought and forced displacements, c) setting up an emergence aid response system in the conflict zone of southern Lebanon.
The ECHO contribution to the financing of priority actions enabling to strengthen the first aid centres and the national institutions with the supply of medicines and consumable commodity supplies. The Lebanese Red Cross will receive new ambulances.
The amount of the humanitarian aid provided by ECHO between 1993 and 1999 totals EUR 68 million.