Date: 01 Oct 2005

European Commission - Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO)

From Humanitarian Aid to Development

Experience of previous disasters shows that any gap between the relief effort and the start of reconstruction activities can cost lives and livelihoods. It is essential to ensure that swift and quality humanitarian aid is followed up with appropriate re-habilitation and development support. The Commission designed its humanitarian response programme to ensure that aid agencies move quickly and smoothly from emergency support to the fi rst phase of rehabilitation. For example, food distribu-tion programmes have been replaced by food for work and then cash for work ac-tivities. The distribution of fresh drinking water has been replaced by the rehabilita-tion and construction of new wells. In order to help the victims start rebuilding their lives Commission humanitarian support includes the fi rst phase of rehabilitation: building material and tools for those able to rebuild their houses, the repair and provision of small fi shing boats, distribution of seeds and tools, and the restoration of basic public health services.

Commission plans for post-tsunami reconstruction

The European Commission has earmarked €350 million for post-tsunami recon-struction. This includes the Tsunami Indicative Programme (€323 million spread over two years) and €27 million under regional and Rapid Reaction Mechanism funds. €12 million was immediately released to kick-start the longer-term recon-struction work. The long term programme will focus on repairing housing and social amenities, and restarting livelihoods so that individuals and their families can get back to leading normal lives. It will also fund the repair of large infrastructures such as roads. While humanitarian aid is provided through Non-Governmental Organisations, UN agen-cies and the Red Cross, long term aid is also channelled through, or in co-operation with, national or local authorities.

European Commission backing for humanitarian aid worldwide

The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department, ECHO, falls under the direct responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. Since 1992, it has funded relief to millions of victims of both natural disasters and man-made crises outside the EU. Aid is channelled impartially, straight to victims, regardless of their race, religion and political beliefs. Part of its mission is to raise public awareness of the issues at stake. Working with partners in the field In providing humanitarian aid, the Commission works with about 180 implementing partners, mainly organisations that have signed a frame-work partnership agreement. Its partners include specialised United Nations agencies, the Red Cross movement and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). A key donor The Commission is one of the biggest donors of humanitarian aid in the world. In 2004, it provided €570 million in funding (not including aid that the EU’s 15 Member States gave separately). Support went to projects in more than 60 countries. The funds are spent on goods and services such as food, clothing, shelter, health care, water, sanitation, emergency repairs and mine-clearing. The Commission also funds disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation projects in regions prone to natural catastrophes.

Asian tsunami: European solidarity in action

When news first broke of a tsunami in the Indian Ocean on 26 De-cember 2004, few imagined the scale of the resulting disaster. The giant waves travelled thousands of miles and killed at least 280,000 people, making it one of the worst disasters ever recorded. Millions lost their homes and livelihoods. The European Union, through its citizens, Member States and the European Commission, reacted with a remarkable display of generosity for the victims.

A quick response saves lives...

The battle to save lives was most intense in the first few days after the catastrophe. Search and rescue teams descended on the affect-ed regions from around the globe and the humanitarian operation unfolded in a race to provide survivors with the basic necessities: food, clean water, shelter and essential medical care.

The European Union, through its citizens, Member States and the European Commission, reacted with a remarkable display of generosity for the victims. The EU has, so far, contributed more than €510 million for this crisis in official humanitarian aid, excluding aid for reconstruction and individual donations. The Commission, through its humanitarian department ECHO, was the first official donor to respond to the disaster. €3 million was allocated on the day the waves struck to the Red Cross for initial life saving measures, including temporary shelters, blankets, emergency food and water supplies, and medical assistance. A further €20 million was commit-ted before the end of that week in two new decisions and a major funding decision for €80 million was agreed shortly afterwards. So far, the Commission has engaged more than €100 million in hu-manitarian aid to relieve the suffering of the tsunami victims. The funds came from internal reserves and the EU’s emergency reserve (released by the Parliament and the Council of Ministers). Aid to other crisis zones has not therefore been affected by this terrible tragedy.

...but quality is as important as speed

While speed is vital, it is also important to ensure that EU taxpayers’ money is used effectively to alleviate the suffering of those worst hit by crises. The approach used by the Commission in providing humanitarian aid for the tsunami victims, as with other tragedies, involves a rolling programme that is sufficiently flexible to adapt to changing circumstances on the ground. It includes a strong emphasis on needs assessments. Field experts play a key role in identify-ing and assessing needs that can be addressed by EU humanitarian funds.

What EU money has achieved so far:

Thanks to massive international mobilisation and the resilience of local people, tsunami survivors are on the road to recovery. Basic humanitarian needs have been covered (shelter, food, water, health and psychosocial support), no major epidemic outbreaks have been reported and people are receiving assistance to restart their livelihoods.

Here is a selection of some of the concrete outcomes of the European Commission’s humanitarian aid response for the tsunami victims, in the five countries most affected by the disaster:

Indonesia (€30 million)

- World Health Organisation epidemic early warning system up and running

- At least 90,000 people now have access to primary health services and psychosocial support, and around 1,000 people are receiving physiotherapy rehabilitation.

- 20 UNICEF child centres are registering, tracing and reunifying separated/unaccom-panied children;

- Improved access to safe water and sanitation facilities as well as food distribution for at least 150,000 people living in camps;

- Distribution of household items and building materials and tools for those willing to return to their places of origin to rebuild their houses.

- 2000 families are being assisted to restart their fishing and agricultural activities;

- Satellite phone services for more than 3,000 affected people during the first few weeks following the disaster, when normal phone services were not functioning;

- Additional assistance, including semi-permanent shelters, provided to the victims of the major aftershock on March 29, 2005 that brought further devastation to islands.

Sri Lanka (€23 million)

- Food deliveries for an estimated 748,000 people, focusing on pregnant women and children, and food and cash for work schemes to rehabilitate basic infrastructure;

- Temporary shelter, food, safe water, household items and basic sanitation provided for over 200,000 displaced people;

- Assistance for 14,000 families to restore their livelihoods in the fishing and agricul-tural sectors;

- Improved access to health services for 10,000 people;

- Psychological support for 40,000 people;

- Physiotherapy rehabilitation for 6,000 people.

India (€4 million)

- Help for 39,000 vulnerable fishing families through the provision of small boats and fishing gear. Psychological support, access to safe water, tools, construction material provided for shelter and support for women working in sectors related to the fishing industry.

The Maldives (€2.7 million)

- Water tanks installed in damaged schools, small bore sewerage systems repaired, cold rooms and freezers in damaged hospitals restored;

- Help for displaced families to repair their houses and restart farming and fishing businesses.

Thailand (€0.5 million)

- Support for 2,000 vulnerable fishermen and women.

Disaster Preparedness (€2 million)

- A significant contribution to a United Nations (UNOCHA/ISDR – International Strat-egy for Disaster Reduction) project to assess, evaluate and strengthen early warning systems and disaster preparedness in South and South East Asia.

Regional (€8.3 million)