EP - Aid to tsunami victims not to be at expense of others in need

The international community is preparing to move on to the second stage of its response to the tsunami disaster: the generous promises made in the heat of the moment must now be converted into hard cash for the devastated countries. The question is where should this money come from?

This sensitive issue was discussed on Monday evening at a meeting of MEPs who are members of Parliament's committees on development, foreign affairs and budgets with Commissioners Louis MICHEL, Benita FERRERO WALDNER and Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE as well as Jean-Louis SCHILTZ, Luxembourg Minister for Co-operation, and the Executive Director of Oxfam, Jeremy HOBBS.

"New" money or reallocation of existing funding?

MEPs fear the promised funding may be taken from development aid that has already been scheduled and that the poorest people in Asia and Africa could therefore become indirect victims of the tsunami. Mr. Michel sought to reassure MEPs as regards humanitarian aid. By using 100 million euros from the budget reserve for aid to south-east Asia, the budgetary authority will enable the Commission to continue financing its operations in other crisis-hit regions with funding already earmarked under the budget.

However, things are more delicate when it comes to the 350 million promised over three years for reconstruction. Mr. Schiltz believes this aid must not be taken away from funding for the Millennium Development Goals or for Africa. Mrs Grybauskaite announced that 220 million of this total would be "new" money. As to the remainder, Mrs Ferrero-Waldner said that redeployment of the funding already entered in the Community budget was possible by country, rather than by region, to protect the aid already set aside for other developing countries.

But this solution did not seem entirely satisfactory to most MEPs, including Neena GILL (PES, UK), who stressed that development aid projects in the stricken countries must not be abandoned or cut back. Gerard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE) argued that the reprogramming being proposed was in fact a reallocation of funding, rather than the additional money promised by the Council and Commission. Glenys KINNOCK (PES, UK) and Jeremy HOBBS stressed that the EU's political and financial response to the disaster must match the strong solidarity expressed by the people of Europe. Elmar BROK (EPP-ED, DE) believed the credibility of the EU was at stake.

Resolution of conflicts in Sri Lanka and Aceh

Sri Lanka and the Indonesian province of Aceh are amongst the areas worst hit by the tsunami but they have also been ravaged by conflicts for a number of years. How can anyone be sure that all members of the population will be treated the same in cases where the national authorities are responsible for distributing aid? This was a question posed by Marc TARABELLA (PES, BE). EU reconstruction aid will be subject to conditions precisely to deal with this problem, replied Mrs Ferrero Waldner. Mr. Hobbs said he hoped the tragedy would give the different sides an opportunity to make peace. Nirj DEVA (EPP-ED, UK) went further, calling for reconstruction aid to be tied to the peace process in Sri Lanka.

On Tuesday evening the Budgets Committee will vote on the Commission's proposal to mobilise 100 million euros from the emergency aid reserve. There will also be a debate in plenary on Wednesday at 11am, following which MEPs will vote on a resolution on Thursday around midday.

10.01.2005 Committee on Development
In the chair: Luisa MORGANTINI (GUE/NGL, IT)
Committee on Foreign Affairs
In the chair: Elmar BROK (EPP-ED, DE)
Committee on Budgets
In the chair: Ralf WALTER (PES, DE), Vice-Chairman

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