EU Presidency declaration - Flooding in Indonesia

Following recent flooding which swept through most of Jakarta, Tangerang and Bekasi last week, the European Union expresses its sympathy and solidarity with the residents of Greater Jakarta and stands by to give further support and assistance as a long-term partner of Indonesia.

The impact of heavy rain and flooding on some communities in Greater Jakarta has been the most serious to hit Jakarta and its surroundings since 1996. There are reckoned to be up to half a million people affected.

A first needs assessment of the situation is currently being conducted by the European Union's humanitarian office -ECHO. Of immediate concerns are water and sanitation; shelter and essential relief items; emergency food rations and the provision of essential drugs for the treatment of related water-borne diseases.

ECHO's aim is to complement the aid efforts of national agencies. It has now received funding requests from a number of humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organisations. A decision to allocate humanitarian funds will thus be taken under the "primary emergency aid" procedure to help meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable people. It is envisaged that humanitarian operations will be implemented through ECHO's humanitarian partners.

This may be followed up by further actions, depending on the scale of needs identified, the plans of the City Administration and Central Government, the intention of other donors and once a more full assessment has been undertaken.

The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

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