EU Pledges Euro 12.5 Million to African Aid
BRUSSELS - Oct 27/04 -
SNS -- The European Commission has allocated Euro 12.5 million in humanitarian
aid to four African nations, including Eritrea (Euro 1 million), Ethiopia (Euro
6.5 million), Kenya (Euro 3.85 million) and Somalia (Euro 1.15 million).
Activities will include
emergency health care in Somalia and Ethiopia, and emergency drought response
in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya.
In Eritrea, receding
ground water levels following successive years of drought are leading to
pockets of acute need as water supplies fail. ECHO emergency assistance will
secure essential water supplies, and supplementary nutritional assistance. An
estimated 150,000 people, mainly women and children located in rural areas, are
expected to benefit from these activities over the next twelve months.
In Ethiopia, acute needs
have arisen in the south east due to drought; while in a number of regions
malaria is reaching epidemic levels, notably in areas where populations have
recently been resettled. ECHO will provide emergency water and nutritional
assistance to drought affected areas. In addition, ECHO will provide emergency
medical assistance including more effective medicines to address epidemic
malaria. In total up to one million people are estimated to benefit from this
assistance over the next twelve months.
In Kenya, much of the
north of the country, and in particular the pastoralist populations there, are
suffering from drought. An estimated 600,000 people will benefit from a range of
activities financed by ECHO, including emergency water, health and veterinary
assistance.
In Somalia, as a result
of over a decade of civil war, health indicators are amongst the worst in the
world, and the most vulnerable people have little or no access to health care.
ECHO's assistance will focus on providing access to primary and secondary
health care through support to clinic and hospital facilities including
vaccination, paediatric and maternity care. This decision will help an
estimated 250,000 people, especially in the capital Mogadishu. AgReport.com