EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

The total amount of EU humanitarian aid (EU Member States and the European Commission) to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people stands at €314 million, of which a third is managed directly by the Commission. The Commission is now asking the European Parliament and the Council to accelerate budgetary decisions on new provision of €25 million in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. There may be further requests in the coming weeks if the flux of refugees and internally displaced persons increases.

Romano Prodi, President of the Commission, said: "Alongside targeted military action to eradicate terrorism, it is essential to boost humanitarian aid to the long-suffering people of Afghanistan. The European Commission will spare no effort to deliver aid to those in need."

The Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson, stated: "The Afghan people have endured years of neglect, civil war and drought. With winter approaching and large numbers of people on the move, providing food, shelter and medicine for the people must be the number one humanitarian aid priority for the international community in Afghanistan."

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• The European Union and Afghanistan (30/3/2004)
• Afghanistan Reconstruction - EU approves funds for Initial Recovery Programme (26/2/2002)
• Commissioner Patten's speech on Reconstructing Afghanistan (20/2/2002)
• The EU's contribution to Afghanistan's reconstruction process (22/1/2002)
• EU to co-chair Afghanistan Reconstruction Steering Group (18/1/2002)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan (6/11/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan (19/4/2001)
• EU humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Moluccan Islands (24/1/2001)