EU Pledges Euro 12.5 Million to African Aid

BRUSSELS - Oct 27/04 - SNS -- The European Commission has allocated Euro 12.5 million in humanitarian aid to four African nations, including Eritrea (Euro 1 million), Ethiopia (Euro 6.5 million), Kenya (Euro 3.85 million) and Somalia (Euro 1.15 million).

Activities will include emergency health care in Somalia and Ethiopia, and emergency drought response in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya.

In Eritrea, receding ground water levels following successive years of drought are leading to pockets of acute need as water supplies fail. ECHO emergency assistance will secure essential water supplies, and supplementary nutritional assistance. An estimated 150,000 people, mainly women and children located in rural areas, are expected to benefit from these activities over the next twelve months.

In Ethiopia, acute needs have arisen in the south east due to drought; while in a number of regions malaria is reaching epidemic levels, notably in areas where populations have recently been resettled. ECHO will provide emergency water and nutritional assistance to drought affected areas. In addition, ECHO will provide emergency medical assistance including more effective medicines to address epidemic malaria. In total up to one million people are estimated to benefit from this assistance over the next twelve months.

In Kenya, much of the north of the country, and in particular the pastoralist populations there, are suffering from drought. An estimated 600,000 people will benefit from a range of activities financed by ECHO, including emergency water, health and veterinary assistance.

In Somalia, as a result of over a decade of civil war, health indicators are amongst the worst in the world, and the most vulnerable people have little or no access to health care. ECHO's assistance will focus on providing access to primary and secondary health care through support to clinic and hospital facilities including vaccination, paediatric and maternity care. This decision will help an estimated 250,000 people, especially in the capital Mogadishu.