Bangladesh: European Commission supports recovery and rehabilitation after SIDR cyclone with €13 million

Sumario: 13 June 2008, Brussels - The European Commission will provide €13 million to support the sustainable recovery and rehabilitation of agriculture-based and non-agriculture-based livelihoods in coastal areas severely affected by cyclone SIDR which struck Bangladesh on 15 November 2007. This action will help to link the relief phase, for which ECHO has already provided €20.425 million, and the longer term reconstruction and development of the affected areas.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy, commented: "We are delivering on our responsibilities as a major donor to Bangladesh during the post-SIDR recovery period. With the amount allocated now we will help to get the farming community back on its feet by providing urgently needed seeds and equipment but also help create job opportunities in the disaster stricken areas. I hope that these actions will allow us to soon tackle the also crucial task of the longer term reconstruction of the affected areas."

The cyclone was the second natural disaster to affect Bangladesh in 2007. Previously, monsoon floods had caused extensive damage to agricultural production and physical assets, totalling €0.75 billion. A Joint Damage Loss and Needs Assessment, financed through the Instrument for Stability, estimated the total amount of damages and losses caused by the cyclone at over €1.1 billion, equivalent to 2.8% of Bangladesh's GDP. More than two-thirds of this was physical damage and one-third economic loss. Damage and losses were concentrated in the housing sector (50%), productive sectors (30%) and public infrastructure (16%).

This new Community support under the Instrument for Stability will provide much needed additional assistance for recovery and rehabilitation in the worst-hit areas of the country. It is designed to build upon previous and ongoing ECHO emergency interventions and to link up with ongoing DIPECHO disaster preparedness activities and longer term Community development support to reduce the risks following this disaster and improve food security.

More information on the EU-Bangladesh relations at http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/bangladesh/intro/index.htm

Ref: EC08-0128EN
Fuente UE: Comisión Europea
Foro NU:
Fecha: 13/6/2008

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