10/2/2006
Commission Provides a Further €5 Million to Drought Victims in the Horn of Africa

The European Commission has allocated a further €5 million in an emergency aid to people living in areas of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia affected by severe drought. The aid will help up to 5.6 million vulnerable people with water, food and healthcare and with protection for their livestock herds. Further funds have been earmarked for ongoing assistance.

Said Commissioner Louis Michel, responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid: “Starvation threatens if we don’t act quickly. The €5 million announced today is part of a major ongoing effort by the Commission to help people affected by the severe drought. It will be used immediately to provide urgently-needed water, food and basic healthcare as well as to support the livestock that most people in the region rely upon.”

So far, the Commission has allocated €73 million for drought-related interventions in response to the current crisis. It has a two-pronged approach involving the provision of relief assistance under the humanitarian aid budget (€12 million to date) and of support aimed at tackling the effects of the drought in the medium and longer term (€61 million). The latter involves financing mainly from the food aid/food security budget line and from the European Development Fund (EDF).
Mr Michel stressed that the plight of the Horn of Africa would continue to receive the Commission's full attention.

"The ‘long rains’ are due in May but if they don’t come, we could be facing a terrible situation, for which we must be prepared. That is why we propose to earmark further funding of almost €40 million in the coming weeks and months, taking the total to €112.6 million." The Commissioner also called on other donors to boost their response.