Bangladesh: European Commission boosts its humanitarian aid for victims of the SIDR cyclone with a new €12 million package

Sumario: 10 April 2008, Brussels - The European Commission has allocated a new €12 million humanitarian aid package to provide assistance to populations affected by the SIDR cyclone in November 2007. Relief will focus on providing food aid and food security, and also supplying emergency aid such as shelter, water and sanitation and emergency livelihoods support. Funds will be channelled through the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel.

"The situation of the population affected by the SIDR cyclone remains extremely worrying as the scars of the catastrophe's aftermath are still clearly visible. The region is prone to natural disasters and these funds will help the most vulnerable to rebuild their lives under better conditions", said Commissioner Michel.

On November 15, 2007, the SIDR cyclone hit the coast of south-west Bangladesh with winds of up to 240 km per hour. Since then, more than 9 million people have been directly affected by the cyclone which caused extensive damages to houses, water and sanitation infrastructures, harvests, food stocks and livelihoods, also killing livestock and destroying fishing material and other income generating assets.

The first priority of this new funding will focus on providing appropriate and adequate food assistance to the most vulnerable people. €8 million will be dedicated to food aid and food security support such as: provision of emergency food relief; food and cash-for-work activities; short term livelihood recovery. €4 million will focus on emergency assistance, and primarily shelter provision of safe water and restoration of sanitary and hygiene conditions.

The most severely affected areas are the districts of Barguna, Patuakhali, Bagerhat and Pirojpur where populations will benefit the most from EU support.

Operations will be implemented by International non-governmental organisations, the Red Cross Movement and specialised United Nations agencies already operating in the region.

This new allocation brings Commission's support for the victims of the SIDR cyclone in Bangladesh to a total of €20,5 million .

More info on:

http://ec.europa.eu/echo/field/bangladesh

Ref: EC08-076EN
Fuente UE: Comisión Europea
Foro NU:
Fecha: 10/4/2008

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