EU emergency humanitarian aid to victims of current crisis in Haiti

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The European Commission has granted €5.4 million in emergency humanitarian aid to support the victims of the socio-economic crisis in Haiti. The funding is in addition to the €1.8 million for humanitarian aid released in mid-March. The funding will help improve access to water and sanitation and health care and provide food-aid to victims suffering from the current socio-economic collapse of the country. Support will also be provided to the co-ordination of humanitarian aid efforts. Funds will be channelled through the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO).

The armed rebellion in Haiti which led to the departure of President Aristide provoked an interruption of economic activity and led to a breakdown of basic state functions in a country which already ranked amongst the poorest in the world. In spite of a stabilisation of the political situation, Haiti has been plunged into a deep socio-economic crisis that has left an estimated three million Haitians in need for humanitarian aid. Funds made available under this decision will address some of these people's needs in the following sectors:

• Water: During the armed rebellion, water facilities in Port-au-prince were vandalised. Furthermore the recent socio-economic crisis has rendered water a luxury good unaffordable for many. As a consequence many people are left without access to clean water. Activities under this decision will provide 300,000 residents of urban areas with access to drinking water;
  
  
• Health: Haiti's health service has partly broken down. Many health centres do not have the necessary resources to respond to the needs of patients. Particularly vulnerable groups such as pregnant women are suffering from the lack of access to basic health services. The current funding will allow 100,000 vulnerable people to get access to basic health services;
  
  
• Food: Prices for food have risen sharply, leaving particularly the poorest families in urban areas already struggling with very high unemployment rates - in very precarious conditions. Half of the population is malnourished and an estimated 5-8 pct of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition. Food aid will target these malnourished children and their families, pregnant women and orphans. 45,000 people will receive basic food aid;
  
  
• Co-ordination: In order to facilitate communication and co-ordination among humanitarian aid organisations working in Haiti, funds will also be dedicated to the installation of a telecommunication network.

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