EU boosts relief aid to Ethiopia

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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - The European Commission has earmarked US$14million as part of its efforts to increase relief aid to Ethiopia's vulnerable population, the organisation's chief humanitarian aid Commissioner Karel De Gucht announced on Thursday.

The European Commission's financing decision for expanded humanitarian aid to vulnerable people in Ethiopia will see the current aid to Ethiopia's rise to29 million euros to aid nearly 14 million people in dire need of food aid.

"The funds are channelled through the European Commissionâ?s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Karel De Gucht, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid. This brings the Com mission's total humanitarian support in 2009 to Ethiopia to 29 million euros," a statement issued on Thursday said.

The Head of the European Commission Delegation to Ethiopia, Dino Sinigallia, said: "Ethiopia faces growing humanitarian challenges which are largely due to climate change. Poor rainfall has (led) to a series of failed harvests across the country and has led to food insecurity.

''The new allocation of 10 euros million is for immediate humanitarian food assistance countrywide. The European Commission is working closely with the Ethiopian Government and our partners in the field to ensure that this food assistance reaches the people most in need.'

ECHO has been providing humanitarian relief in Ethiopia since 2004. Over 115 million euros have been committed to projects run by ECHO partners.

These projects are implemented countrywide with a major focus on the most affected areas of Tigray, Amhara, Somali Regional State, Southern Oromiya and Afar regions.

European Commission-funded humanitarian projects are implemented by non-governmental relief organisations, specialised UN agencies and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. ECHO has a technical office in Addis Ababa.

Its field experts closely follow developments in the humanitarian situation and play an active role in local coordination of relief efforts. They also monitor the use of the Commission's relief funds.

In 2008, The European Commission provided over 936 million euros for humanitarian programmes in more than 70 countries worldwide.