EU humanitarian assistance for victims of the internal conflict in Colombia

Summary: March 10, 2005: Commission agrees €12 million of humanitarian assistance for victims of the internal conflict in Colombia (Brussels)

FR

The European Commission has agreed a Global Plan to support people who are displaced from their homes or who flee to neighbouring countries as a result of the longstanding internal conflict in Colombia. The aid will be channelled through the Commission's Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel and will be distributed by humanitarian NGOs and international agencies operating in the region.

Commenting on this new Global Plan, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, said, "The continuous violence affects hundreds of thousands of ordinary Colombians every year, forcing many out of their homes and others across the border to safe havens in neighbouring countries. ECHO remains committed to helping them to overcome the trauma that they have experienced and have a reasonable standard of living."

The assistance is targeted to give:

Emergency help to 130,000 people immediately after they have been displaced (principally food, essential non-food items), essentially through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC);
Aid to a further 60,000 people for up to a year, to improve their living conditions and help them get back on their feet (clean water, good sanitation, adequate shelter, basic health care, psychosocial support);
Protection (this includes support activities for detainees and hostages and their families and help for the families of missing persons);
Specific aid to children to prevent further child recruitment (14 000 children under 18 are estimated involved with armed groups);
Coordination (between national and international humanitarian agencies);
Aid to 70,000 Colombian refugees and asylum seekers in Ecuador and Venezuela, targeted at their most urgent needs, principally in the areas of water and sanitation, shelter, health care, food and livelihood support, psychosocial support and protection.

Since the pattern of displacement cannot be predicted from one year to another, this programme must retain the flexibility to respond to needs as and when they occur.

ECHO has been actively involved in bringing relief to victims of the conflict in Colombia since 1994 and over that period of time has give humanitarian assistance worth over €100 million.

For further information:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/index_en.htm
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/field/colombia/index_en.htm

Ref: EC05-098EN
EU source: European Commission
UN forum:
Date: 10/3/2005

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