EU Commission provides € 2m humanitarian aid for Indonesia

FR

The European Commission has adopted €2 million decision to help tackle humanitarian needs in Indonesia. The funds, targeting nutrition, water and sanitation, will benefit around 130,000 vulnerable people in various provinces. The aid is managed by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel.

Recurrent drought in eastern provinces of Indonesia has resulted in serious food shortages. A Commission-funded nutritional assessment, carried out by World Food Programme, shows acute malnutrition running at more than 10% among young children in five districts. Anaemia is also widespread. The Commission will finance nutrition programmes targeting 100,000 people in these districts.

Elsewhere, in the districts of Alor and Nabire, earthquakes in February and November 2004, (unrelated to the tsunami) destroyed water and sanitation systems. Immediate basic assistance was provided through short-term programmes, but little has been done to rehabilitate the infrastructure. Funds will be used to restore safe drinking water and proper sanitation, as well as to provide hygiene education, benefiting some 30,000 people.

Commissioner Louis Michel said: "We all know about the terrible effects of the tsunami but there are other humanitarian challenges that are far less publicised. Our commitment is to make sure that people who are suffering outside the media spotlight also get help."

More info:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/index_en.htm

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• Response to Tsunami: EU Commission Progress Report  (18/11/2005)
• Aceh: First phase of relocation and decommissioning completed  (27/9/2005)
• EUHR Solana met with Indonesian President Susilo (14/9/2005)