Brussels, 26/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - The EU/ACP Joint Parliamentary Assembly, which brings together an equal number of MEPs and ACP (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) parliamentarians every six months, is concerned at the growing threat of natural disasters and climate change on development, the eradication of poverty and the achievement of the millennium development objectives. It has therefore called for a complete strategy to be set in place for the effective inclusion of disaster prevention, improved preparedness for these phenomena and climate strategies in all levels of national development, in the European development policy and in Community aid. Decrying the low levels of resources allocated to the ACP-EU disaster facility despite growing needs, the Assembly calls on the EU to grant additional resources to this Fund under the 10th EDF, and on the Commission to extend the scope of this instrument, by means of adequate funding of 200 million EUR for a preparation programme for natural disasters and post-disaster reconstruction in the ACP countries. This request was made in an emergency resolution adopted on 22 November in Kigali on EU funding for preparations for natural disasters and emergency aid financed by ECHO (the humanitarian aid service of the European Commission). (A.N)