EU humanitarian aid for Afghanistan

Sumario: October 18, 2001: Humanitarian Response to the Afghan Crisis (Brussels)

1) Commission Humanitarian Response

Since 1991, the European Commission has committed some € 430 million in aid to Afghan populations in need - implemented through UN agencies, Red Cross Movement and NGOs (European with help of local Afghani). It was the single largest donor until last year when USA increased substantially its food aid.
For year 2001, the Commission intends to commit over €100 million in response to the Afghan crisis. Of this amount, over € 48 million has already been or is being allocated, € 5.5 million of which were decided/allocated after 11 September and in direct response to the worsening of the situation. The remaining amount will be committed in the coming days and weeks.
The Commission intervenes through 3 main financial tools:
1. Emergency humanitarian aid through ECHO. At this point in time, ECHO total contribution for 2001 (allocated + announced) stands at €52.3 million. Breakdown is as follows (see also chart in annex):
  - So far this year, ECHO has committed €28.8 million, of which: - €23.3 million prior to 11 September, the Commission/ECHO had taken 4 funding decisions amounting to a total of € 23.3 million to the country supporting most vulnerable people, following a two pronged approach. i) Assistance to displaced people (medico-nutritional projects, shelter construction and water and sanitation in the camps) and ii)- food-related assistance to resident populations in rural areas (Emergency food distributions and other food security related projects to stop the massive exodus of people fleeing the drought to the towns). Most of these projects were ongoing on 11 September.
  - €5.5 million since 11 September: Since the tragic events in USA and their consequences on Afghanistan, the Commission has promptly reacted by taking 2 successive funding decisions, the first of €4 million on 28 September (to fund the pre-positioning of relief stocks by UNHCR, WFP and ICRC in countries around Afghanistan in order to cope with a possible massive influx of Afghan refugees) and the second decision of €1.5 million taken on 9 October (for medical programmes by ICRC in response to deteriorating health conditions - war-wounded and result of massive displaced people).
  - Following a Commission request, the budgetary authority has reinforced funding capacity (budgetary line B-210) to respond adequately to the possible aggravation of the humanitarian crisis. On 15 October, an extra €25 million was approved out of the Community Budget's emergency reserve (of which €1.5 million have been already pre-engaged for the decision of 9 October with ICRC). This means that another €23.5 million is available for future funding decisions. These further financing decisions will aim at providing humanitarian assistance for the victims wherever they are, through experienced partners with a solid logistic network already located in the region. Prioritisation of activities with immediate impact before the winter season. Contractual flexibility will be granted to humanitarian organizations for a swift operational adjustment according to needs and access opportunities. In Afghanistan: Assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs): emergency food distribution, mobile clinics, shelter, medico nutritional programmes, winterization, prevention of further displacements with complementary feeding projects and pre- positioning of seeds. These projects will constitute a continuation and a reinforcement of previous programmes but also a response to new potential crisis areas like the East, near the border with Pakistan. In Pakistan and other neighboring countries: Depending on the scale of influx of new refugees and their location, ECHO intends to fund projects which will cover basic health care and distribution of relief items. Since the beginning of the crisis, ECHO's strategy is being adjusted as closely as possible to the evolving situation, taking into account the constraints of access and security for local and expatriate staff.
  - Depending on the evolution of the situation and if need be, the Commission does not exclude the possibility to request further funding from the budget authority, to be drawn from Community Budget's emergency reserve.
2. Aid to Uprooted People budget Commission will commit €22.5 million this year to programmes for IDPs and refugees in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. This budget line will be used for a wide range of activities from health to integrated rural programmes wherever access and security allow for a rapid start-up of such activities.
3. Food aid and food security this year EC will supply 30,000 tons of food aid to Afghanistan through WFP and further 7,000 tons via NGOs and have mobilized further €8 million for WFP in response to current crisis total of €26 million spent in 2001.

2) EU Member States' Humanitarian Response

Information collected by the Commission from official sources indicate that the fifteen EU Member States have pledged before and after 11 September over €200 million of aid for the Afghan people - of which almost €40 million has already been allocated.
Since 11 September in total EU (MS + COM) has contributed so far more than €310 million to this crisis.

The Overall response of the international community as it stands now, amounts to over $700 million. It fully covers the main emergency aid fund appeals launched by the international organizations (United Nations, ICRC) if pledges by all are confirmed.

Thus, the first concern of raising sufficient funding in response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis is being addressed. However, there other humanitarian concerns still to be addressed.

3) Main Humanitarian concerns at present

Accessing people in need: Refugees: still great difficulties for Afghan refugees massing at borders to reach camps outside Afghanistan. Pakistan and Iran are not willing to open wide their borders now as it may create a pull-factor. But in case of mass movements prompted by military actions, Pakistan and Iran seem to be ready to let UNHCR and ICRC provide refugees near their borders with immediate temporary protection and assistance through cross-border operations.

But the highest priority is to provide assistance inside Afghanistan: the problem of access there is even greater. The zones controlled by Northern Alliance are mostly accessible. But most vulnerable people are still in Taliban zone. There is very little flow of people across the frontline at present. Humanitarian Organizations (UN, ICRC, NGOs) are looking at pragmatic ways to reach accessible 'pockets' in Taliban zones. Remote control operations (with local staff) continue to run in several areas in an effective way (information confirmed by ICRC) but the region bordering the Pakistani border is currently impossible to access.
Respecting neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian assistance. The forum organized by the UN in Geneva on 5 and 6 October with the whole international humanitarian community (implementing agencies and donors) recalled that the political and military objectives should not interfere with those of humanitarian assistance, which are solely to save and preserve civilians' lives. Humanitarian organizations' independence of action should also be respected.

The Commission/ECHO subscribe fully to this approach and is fully committed to ensure the neutrality and impartiality of its funded-operations. This is not only an expression of the values of European society (humanity, respect, solidarity) but also a question of security for the relief workers on the ground.

There is an international responsibility, which is shared by the Commission and certainly the EU as a whole alongside the mandate of Mr. Brahimi, UNSG Representative, to ensure that the impact of military actions on civilians is minimized.
Coordinating humanitarian efforts: overall international humanitarian coalition = UN + Red Cross + NGOs with support of donors. European Commission (through ECHO) is playing an active role to support international coordinating mechanisms (UN, donors' Afghan support Group) to harness the efforts of all humanitarian organizations in order to maximize impact and quality of aid.

Breakdown of ECHO Funding Decisions for Afghan Populations for 2001 as of October 9th, 2001

Decisions adopted in 2001 so far	Amount	Duration of contracts	Core activities	Target population/ zones
Decision before 11/09/01	€ 23 400 000
1st decision adopted on 02/03/2001	€ 2 585 000	6 months	Refugees in Pakistan: water and sanitation programmes, relief items IDPs: medico-nutritional programmes and non-food items	Jalozai and Shamshatoo camps in Peshawar (PAK) IDP populations in the Center and West (Herat)
2nd decision adopted on 03/05/2001 (Global Plan)	€ 13 000 000	Between 6 monthsand 12 months	Resident populations: drought mitigation programmes: distribution of food and seeds, wells deepening, irrigation systems rehabilitation IDPs: medico-nutritional, food and non-food items programmes + mine-clearance activities, handicapped programmes, street children of Kabul	Resident populations North, East, Center mostly affected by drought IDP populations around Mazar, Heart and Kandahar.
3rd decision adopted on 08/08/2001	€ 7 815 000	Between 6 and 8 months	Continuation and reinforcement of the drought mitigation projects due to deterioration of the situation	Same
Decisions after 11/09/01	€ 5 500 000
4th decision adopted on 27/09/01	€ 4 000 000	6 months	In anticipation of displacements of populations support to UNHCR, WFP and ICRC for: - Pre-positioning of stocks - Deployment of emergency teams - Support to logistics WFP	Afghans populations in Afghanistan and in neighboring countries
5th decision adopted on 09/10/01	€ 1 500 000	Support to ICRC following the air strikes + anticipation of increasing fighting between factions	ICRC Hospitals and health posts around the country
Decisions announced	€ 23 500 000
Prevision of more funding decisions amounting to a total of € 23,5 million both.	€ 23 500 000		IDPs: Winterization and medico- nutritional programmes, food and non food items distribution Resident populations: emergency distribution of food and seeds	Areas determined according to access and security on an evolutive way.

Ref: EC01-081EN
Fuente UE: Comisión Europea
Foro NU:
Fecha: 18/10/2001

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