Brussels, 14/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the UN conference on the sustainable development of the small island developing states (SIDS), which came to an end in Mauritania (Indian Ocean) on Friday, the European Union reassured these small vulnerable islands that they would receive greater support.
The magnitude of the tragedy caused by the tsunami of 26 December 2004 demonstrated, if necessary, the growing vulnerability of these small states whose specific circumstances had already been recognised by the international community at the 1992 Rio Summit as well as at the inaugural conference devoted to them ten years ago (Barbados, 1994). In this context, Kofi Annan's appeal for decisive measures against climate change and the creation of a global early warning system for all natural disasters was agreed upon. Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Louis Michel, European Development Commissioner, gave his assurance that the "European Union is totally committed" and will contribute to the technical conference in Kobe on disaster prevention (Japan, 18-22 January). He said the Commission is willing to support disaster anticipation programmes, emergency aid programmes administered by ECHO, and that "we are also more than ever resolved to give our support to development and to the establishment of early warning systems and to improve techniques that can make cyclone-related information faster and more reliable (…). The real challenge is to integrate disaster preparation in our development strategies and our cooperation programmes".
"I can assure you that the European Union foresees medium and long term commitment in the sustainable reconstruction and rehabilitation of the disaster-stricken countries", Jean-Louis Schiltz, President-in-office of the EU Council, said. The EU, which has links with many of these SIDS, either through direct bilateral aid or under the Cotonou Agreement with ACP countries (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific), will continue to support them in the context of its policy for reducing poverty, he assured. The President said EU priorities included combating climate change, effective association for a better response to social, economic and environmental vulnerability in each SIDS and at regional level, the taking into consideration of concerns linked to SIDS trade and support for the process of integration of these small states in international trade, as well as greater public development aid, and the integrated, coordinated and global fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.