EU humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations in Iraq

The European Commission has allocated €31.75 million to humanitarian aid in favour of vulnerable populations in Iraq. This is the sixth allocation of humanitarian aid to Iraq in 2003. The Commission's total humanitarian response to the conflict in Iraq in 2003 thereby reaches €100 million. The objective of the decision is to enable an urgent and forceful response to a humanitarian situation that remains precarious. Activities will include the delivery of health-, water- and sanitation services; education; de-mining and a particular security component in view of the volatile security situation faced by humanitarian aid workers. Funds are managed by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO).

Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid Poul Nielson said: "The current situation in Iraq has proved one of the greatest challenges ever faced by the humanitarian community, not least because of the extreme security situation. In spite of these difficult and often dangerous working conditions ECHO's partners in Iraq are continuing to deliver much needed aid to the most vulnerable Iraqis. The Commission remains committed to providing every possible support and assistance to its partner organisations in Iraq to enable them to continue this essential relief work".

The Iran-Iraq conflict, the first Gulf war, government under-spending, and over 12 years of economic sanctions have all contributed to a slow degradation of Iraqi infrastructures. When the war broke out on 20 March 2003, Iraq was already facing severe humanitarian problems. These have been exacerbated by the war and the following state of insecurity. 7.7 % of surveyed children in Iraq under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition. Last year the figure was 4 %. The number of Iraqi women who die in pregnancy or in childbirth has almost tripled since 1990, infant mortality rates have doubled over the last decade and the risks of epidemic disease have increased. These are but a few indicators of a humanitarian situation that continues to require our utmost attention.

Between 1992 and 2003, ECHO provided humanitarian aid to Iraq worth €157 million. Activities financed under the current decision will build on experience gathered in this period. Activities will include:

- Health - The situation in the health sector already severely marked by 20 years of under investment, poor management and conflict has been further aggravated by post-war looting. The objective is to increase access to effective health care services and support disease surveillance and nutritional monitoring. Activities will include rehabilitation of primary health centres, provision of medical equipment and drugs, support to mother and child health, promotion of safe transfusion programmes and support to development of accurate health information systems. An estimated 1.5 million people are expected to benefit from these activities;

- Water and sanitation - Before the war it was estimated that water supply per capita had already been reduced by half. Following the war the water capacity in some governorates is estimated to have been cut by a further half. 50% of sewage treatment plants are estimated to be out of operation causing raw sewage to be discharged into rivers and waterways. The objective of the decision is to increase access to safe drinking water and improve the sanitation environment. Activities include emergency rehabilitation of water infrastructure, provision of drinking water supplies and rehabilitation of sewage treatment and sewage pumping stations. 1.5 million people will be affected by these activities (also see IP/03/942);

- Education - It is estimated that 80 % of Iraqi schools require major rehabilitation. Furthermore some 60 % of secondary schools have no functioning sewage systems and over 70 % no functioning toilets/latrines. This is a severe health risk for children. With a view to improving basic hygiene conditions in schools, funds will be dedicated to rehabilitation of schools with a particular emphasis on improvements of schools' water and sanitation facilities. Two million children will benefit from these activities;

- De-mining - It is estimated that Iraq has the highest rate of accidents resulting from unexploded landmines and bombs in the world - with 394 victims recorded within one and a half months. In addition to the many casualties, mines hamper the delivery of humanitarian aid. Through the collection and dissemination of information on likely locations of mined areas, provision of landmine safety training to humanitarian aid workers and clearance of minefields, the objective is to reduce the immediate threat to the population and the delivery of humanitarian aid posed by landmines (also see IP/03/807);

- Emergency relief to internally displaced people (IDP) - The war did not cause the expected mass displacement of people. Nevertheless there are pockets of displaced people around the country. Among these, many need emergency relief assistance. Activities will include provision of emergency shelter, basic water and health services, supplementary feeding to malnourished children and measures to reduce food insecurity;

- Security - The volatile security situation remains the predominant concern in Iraq and the main obstacle to an efficient delivery of humanitarian aid. In an attempt to enhance ECHO partners' ability to continue their humanitarian activities, a special component will be set up to strengthen security and co-ordination measures.

In March 2003 the Commission announced €100 million in emergency funds to meet new needs arising from the war in Iraq (€21 million from its regular budget and €79 million in extra funds from the emergency budget reserve). With this sixth decision in 2003, all of the €100 million earmarked for Iraq have now been allocated. Implementation of activities financed under the previous five decisions is currently well under way.

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