Strasbourg, 09/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution by all European Parliament political groups except Independent and Democracy, the European Parliament on 8 September welcomed the European Commission's decision to send Niger EUR 4.6 million in humanitarian aid (to counter the famine devastating the country, the UN asked for EUR $80.9 million food aid) and its pledge to release further aid when conditions deteriorate. The European Parliament is asking the European Commission, once the initial emergency situation is over, to implement an overall policy to deal with the underlying structural causes of the famine and improve productivity in the region, and also wants the September meeting of the UN General Assembly to define 'modalities' and international aid tools to eradicate poverty and famine in the world, in line with the Millennium Development Objectives. The EP notes that since 1990, Niger has suffered nine droughts and severe famines and eight locust invasions and was already the second poorest country in the world even before the drought and locusts destroyed the 2004 harvest. The EP regretted the delays and inadequacy of the Niger authorities' response - they refused to distribute free food parcels at the beginning of the crisis. The EP warned that the UN emergency aid coordinator had pointed out that it costs 80 times more to intervene in an emergency rather than take preventative measures. The country is now facing famine. The European Parliament also wants Niger's debt to be dropped. This was announced at the Gleneagles G8 Summit, but must now actually be implemented, notes the EP.
The European Parliament criticises a degree of fatalism in the West with regard to the famine in Niger, deeply regretting that people are less likely to dip into their pockets for disasters in Africa than for the victims of the tsunami (which included western tourists). The tsunami victims have benefitted from huge media attention. By 44 to 39, the plenary narrowly adopted an amendment by the PES, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL Groups in which the European Parliament questions the validity of the full deregulation of agricultural markets under the Structural Adjustment Policies recommended by the International Monetary Fund.
Commissioner Louis Michel concerned at various organisations'
statements on famine in Africa
During the debate French Green MEP Marie-Anne Isler-Beguin said that she had been made aware of the disaster back in April this year. She described the problems faced by nomads in the country, who have lost nearly all their cattle but are not included in the World Health Programme's lists. The Peul people have been committing suicide, she said, explaining that they have a great sense of pride and refuse to beg. Scottish National Party MEP Alyn Smith (Greens/EFA) hoped the matter would be brought up at the meeting of the ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in November, adding that 'luckily' the meeting would be held in Edinburgh (Scotland) (there had been doubt about the meeting's location, Ed.). Jamir Kohlicek (GUE/NGL, Czech Republic) and other MEPs challenged the track record of the government of Niger, pointing out that the country has huge natural resources (particularly uranium). He raised the question of the risk of corruption.
Starting in 2004, the European Commission has been aiding a series of countries in Africa hit by invasions of locusts and reacted to the first signs of a crisis in Niger in April 2005, said Louis Michel, adding that at that time neither governments nor the World Health Programme (or NGOs) seemed to appreciate the sheer intensity of the crisis. The EU would have been able to act more rapidly, as it had wanted to, said the Commissioner, regretting that it wasn't until the media machinery moved into action that the EU had been able to find partners to help Niger. He said he had been concerned about statements by certain organisations on famine in Africa. The Commission believes that over and above emergency aid, a sustainable solution has to be found to Niger's problems, by strengthening the food security strategy. Commissioner Michel admitted that there were huge challenges ahead and it would be difficult to meet them without increasing development aid. This is the message we'll be taking to the UN Summit in New York later this month, he said.