Brussels, 26/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - Following the earthquake in Southern Peru (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.11), the Commission has decided to immediately release 1.15 million euro in emergency humanitarian aid to help the victims. These funds, taken from Echo's budget (Community's Humanitarian Office) will finance the provision of essential relief items, food aid, temporary shelter, medical support, water and sanitation. The aid will be delivered through Echo partners on the ground: the Spanish Red Cross, Oxfam (UK),, Save the Children Fund, Medicos del Mundo (Spain), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
By proceeding with the release of these funds within 48 hours, the Commission is using, for the first time, the so-called "sudden onset" intervention procedure, recently set up to enable it to react quickly to this type of disaster. Additional aid will probably follow this initial funding once the needs of the devastated population have been assessed more completely. Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for humanitarian aid, expressed his deep sympathy for the victims, and stressed that it is "the Union's duty to act promptly when such tragedies occur".