Summary: 21 September 2007, Brussels – The European Commission has drawn up a package of humanitarian aid to help victims of the floods in Africa. The funds have been earmarked to support urgent relief operations, emergency measures against the spread of disease and livelihood recovery in the worst hit areas. The flooding, brought on by torrential rains, has led to the isolation of many villages across the continent and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, emphasised the need "to get help quickly to the communities affected by this unfolding disaster." He continued: "This year's floods and droughts across much of Africa, as well as in Europe and other parts of the world, are a wake-up call. Every new disaster highlights the danger that the world, and more particularly less developed countries and small insular states, faces from climate change. It is a challenge that we cannot ignore and pressure will increase on the international humanitarian system."
Last week, the Commission sent humanitarian experts to the flooded regions and, on the basis of initial needs assessments, emergency funding decisions are being launched for €7 million (focusing on East Africa, especially Uganda and Ethiopia) and €2 million (focusing on West Africa, especially Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso). €2 million has already been allocated from the existing humanitarian plan for Sudan in response to the needs generated by the floods there.
The funds, managed by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel, are channelled through partner relief organisations: UN agencies, the Red Cross/Crescent movement and humanitarian NGOs.
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