Brussels, 01/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - Last Thursday, the European Commission decided to grant aid of EUR 25 million, to be administered by the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) in favour of the vulnerable populations of Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The EUR 25 million will allow the major food deficits to be faced (emergency food aid, mainly for children suffering from malnutrition), and be used for water, sanitation and assistance to displaced persons. This is to be added to the EUR 13 million granted by the Commission in May this year to help the victims of the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. Since 2001, the total of ECHO humanitarian aid in favour of Southern Africa has reached over EUR 86 million.