Summary: January 24, 2002: Commission gives € 5.5 million in humanitarian assistance for the victims of the conflict in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Kosovo (Brussels)
The European Commission has allocated €5.5 million for basic assistance to refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups in FYROM as well as to vulnerable minorities in Kosovo. In FYROM, following the signing of the Framework Agreement in August 2001, tens of thousands of displaced people were encouraged to return to their homes. However, an estimated 30,000 IDPs and refugees have yet to return and their numerous needs still have to be addressed.
In Kosovo, minorities (in particular Serbs and Romas) also require aid. In FYROM, the projects include continuing to provide further support for humanitarian actions in the fields of nutrition, water and sanitation, health and education.
The continuation of food assistance will be carried out in close co-ordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and ECHO partners, targeting IDPs, returnees, residents in the conflict-affected areas and up to 5,500 social case families. This action is foreseen to continue until summer 2002. Support will also be provided to the agricultural sector (livestock food) to facilitate a return to normal agricultural activities in the spring. Emergency rehabilitation of schools
and health facilities will take place throughout the year. Support to the remaining caseload of refugees from the Kosovo crisis will also be provided.
In Kosovo, specific protection actions, undertaken by UNHCR, will target vulnerable minorities living in enclaves or in isolated areas. The money is channeled through the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) which comes under the responsibility of Commissioner Poul Nielson.
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