Brussels, 08/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - Further to the US military riposte in Afghanistan, the European Commission took stock of the situation regarding humanitarian aid already provided by the Union to the Afghan population. It recalled that aid would intensify with the growing needs arising from the increased flow of refugees and the increased numbers of displaced persons in the country. In a press release, Romano Prodi states: "In parallel to targeted military action to eradicate terrorism, it is essential to step up humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan, who have been suffering for a very long time. The European Commission will spare no effort". Poul Nielson, Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, made it clear: "The Afghan population has endured years of neglect, civil war and drought. As winter approaches and there is massive displacement of the population, the number one priority of humanitarian aid must be to provide the population with food, shelter and medicines".
The total amount of humanitarian aid (Member States and the Commission) allocated to the Afghan population is EUR 314 million, of which 212 million is borne by the Member States and 102 million is managed directly by the European Commission via ECHO (European Community's Humanitarian Aid Office).
The funds managed by the Commission can be broken down as follows: 23.3 million allocated before 11 September for humanitarian programmes in 2001; an additional 4 million disbursed after 11 September as initial emergency aid (according to ECHO rapid procedure) given the massive flow of refugees expected in the region; and 25 million for which the Commission calls on the budgetary authority (Parliament/Council) to accelerate procedures in order to authorise its availability from the Community budget reserve. Michaele Schreyer, the Commissioner for such matters, will put the request forward during the budgetary trilogue, scheduled for 15 October, but at Mr. Prodi's request, has been brought forward to the 9th . To this must be added 22.5 million in aid to refugees and 27 million in food aid. Among the Member States, the largest contributors are: the United Kingdom (57.7 million), the Netherlands (31.8 million), France (27.5 million), Germany (26.1 million) and Sweden (20.5 million).
On Monday evening, a meeting to co-ordinate humanitarian aid from the Fifteen was held between European Council President Guy Verhofstadt, and Commission President Romano Prodi, as well as Commissioner Poul Nielson.