EU allocates €11m to evacuate citizens of developing countries from Lebanon

The Commission has allocated €11 million to help around 10,000 citizens from developing countries return home from Lebanon. The Commission will use the Rapid Reaction Mechanism to respond to an appeal made by developing countries to help repatriate their citizens. This package will assist in evacuating the most vulnerable people (in particular single women and children). The programme will help the Lebanese authorities and developing countries evacuate those who remain in Lebanon, provide support and medical assistance to evacuees in transit countries (mainly Syria, Jordan and Cyprus) and help in a swift and orderly repatriation to their home countries.

The Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: "The EU is doing everything in its power to help civilians of all nationalities caught up in this conflict. Alongside all that is being done to help EU nationals get out of Lebanon, it is crucial that we bring third country nationals to safety. The package announced today will mean swift help for those who need it most, and help to avoid creating new humanitarian crises in transit countries".

There were around 100,000 - 200,000 workers from developing countries living in Lebanon at the start of the conflict. The authorities of many of these countries do not have the means to support their citizens' evacuation. The largest groups of workers are from Sri Lanka, Philippines, Ethiopia and Bangladesh, with also significant numbers from Ghana, Vietnam and Nepal, and a few from eastern Europe and Russia.

Most nationals of developing countries have so far been evacuated through Syria and Jordan (some through Cyprus), which have only limited capacity to support evacuees. Given the size of the migrant population in Lebanon, the number of people who want to return home may grow substantially in the near future. This will place an increasing burden on surrounding countries. By supporting transit countries meet the basic needs of evacuees, the programme will reduce the potentially destabilising effect a large flow of evacuees may have on the region, and help ensure that routes remain open for current and future evacuation.

The programme will be implemented through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). It will:

• Evacuate people by land and by sea to neighbouring countries.
  
  
• Help meet the basic living needs of evacuees in transit countries; assist evacuees in returning home; help make the necessary arrangements for evacuees to return home.
  
  
• Provide medical assistance to evacuees through IOM doctors and nurses; refer evacuees to local health care services for care and medical escort, or to medical evacuation when assistance cannot be provided inside Lebanon or transit countries.
  
  The Commission is using its Rapid Reaction Mechanism in DG External Relations for financing this programme, which forms part of a wider EU response to the crisis in Lebanon. This includes €20 million already committed for relief activities in Lebanon. Furthermore, the Commission is proposing the allocation of further substantial humanitarian support, drawing on the emergency reserve of the EC budget. The approval of the budget authority (European Parliament and Council of Ministers) is required for this and the Commission is moving quickly to submit a formal request for the funds to be released. The aim is to increase the overall amount available to €50 million.
  
  For more information:
  The EU's relations with Lebanon:
  http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/lebanon/intro/index.htm
  
  The EU's relations with Israel:
  http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/israel/intro/index.htm
  
  The EU's relations with the West Bank and Gaza Strip:
  http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/gaza/intro/index.htm
  
  
  • Ref: EC06-235EN
  • Source UE: Commission Européenne
  • UN forum: 
  • Date: 26/7/2006

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• EU Council Conclusions on the situation in the Middle East - the Crisis in Lebanon (1/8/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement on situation in Lebanon (30/7/2006)
• Qana, Lebanon: EUHR Solana issues statement (30/7/2006)
• Crisis in Lebanon: EU Council meeting to assess situation (28/7/2006)
• Humanitarian aid for Lebanon: EU Commission commits another €10m and plans package of €50m (26/7/2006)
• Speech by EU Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner - International Conference on Lebanon (26/7/2006)
• International Conference for Lebanon: Co-Chair Statement (26/7/2006)
• EU action in response to crisis in Lebanon (25/7/2006)
• Lebanon: EU Commission launches aid decision for €10m and urges all to respect humanitarian law (20/7/2006)
• EU Commission ring-fences €5m for humanitarian assistance to victims in Lebanon (17/7/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement on the recent developments in Israel and Lebanon  (13/7/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement on the situation on the Israel-Lebanon border (12/7/2006)
• Middle East: Commission allocates €34 million in humanitarian aid to vulnerable Palestinian populations in the West Bank and Gaza and in Lebanon (7/7/2006)