Brussels, 17/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has approved aid of EUR 1.95 million for victims of drought and flooding that hit certain regions of Bolivia and Paraguay in 2000 and 2001. Administered by ECHO (the European Community's Humanitarian Aid Office) funding will allow programmes to be developed over the next six months for the distribution of food, water and seed, medical care and training in natural disaster prevention. Nearly 12,000 Bolivian families living in rural areas and 6,500 peasant families in Paraguay will benefit from the aid, which brings the total amount granted to the two countries by ECHO since 1999 to EUR 3.284 million.