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News Releases
Benita Ferrero-Waldner
No. 92/05
October 24, 2005
PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE: EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSES €93.6 MILLION AID PACKAGE
The European Commission is proposing that an
additional amount of at least €80 million be made
available to address the immediate needs of survivors of
the
earthquake in Pakistan on 8th October (€30 million)
and to contribute to the costs of rehabilitation and
reconstruction (€50 million). This is in addition to the
€13.6 million emergency humanitarian aid already
released, bringing the total proposed for 2005/6 to
€93.6 million ($111.7 million). The very substantial sum
proposed underlines the European Commission’s commitment
to
Pakistan and to its people. The Commission has
approached the budgetary authority (Council of Ministers
and
European Parliament) with this proposal and has
called for an early response to this proposal so that
the EU can continue to act swiftly to help those still
suffering the terrible effects of the earthquake.
Commissioner for
External Relations
Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: “With millions now homeless,
and practically all infrastructure destroyed, the
challenge of reconstructing lives and livelihoods in the
aftermath of this terrible natural disaster will be with
us for many years. Pakistan can count on Europe as a
friend and reliable partner not only in this moment of
crisis, but also in the long years of hard work to
come.”
Louis Michel
European Commissioner for
Development and
Humanitarian
Aid
Louis Michel declared:
“We are facing an enormous
humanitarian catastrophe and, with winter just around the
corner, a second humanitarian disaster looms for the
four million people without a roof over their heads and
the 70,000 injured people needing medical attention. For
all humanitarian organisations, it is a race against the
clock. Aid funding must be significantly increased to
speed up the purchase and delivery of tents, blankets
and other assistance as well to boost the transport
capacity of humanitarian agencies.”
Humanitarian Aid
As the humanitarian funds available to the Commission
for 2005 have been exhausted, the Commission is seeking
to draw down an extra €30 million from the emergency
reserve of the European Union budget. This requires the
approval of the budgetary authority. The Commission
hopes and expects that the Parliament and Council will
recognise the urgency of the situation and move as
quickly as possible to unblock these additional funds to
provide humanitarian assistance for hundreds of
thousands of earthquake victims in Pakistan. As the
humanitarian needs will continue to exist over the next
months, further humanitarian funds may be required in
due course.
The funds, to be channelled through the Commission’s
humanitarian partners (NGOs, Red Cross/Crescent and UN
agencies) will be used to meet a wide range of
humanitarian needs including shelter, medical support,
medicines, household items, hygiene kits, water supplies
and sanitation.
Reconstruction
Though professional needs assessments are not yet
available, it is certain that very substantial funds
will be required to reconstruct housing, medical
facilities, schools, roads, water pipes and all basic
infrastructure. The Commission is proposing that €50
million be made available for reconstruction.
The Commission has identified €20 million in unspent
funds at the end of 2005, which can be allocated to
reconstruction in Pakistan. An additional €10 million is
being sought from the Emergency Reserve in 2005. A
further €20 million should be found in 2006.
Professional needs assessments will be essential to
maximising the impact of international aid to
reconstruction in Pakistan and ensuring that work is
properly co-ordinated. The Commission is participating
in this work through its Delegation in
Islamabad and
ECHO [European Union Humanitarian Aid Office] field teams, in co-operation with the World Bank
and the Asian Development Bank.
For more information:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/pakistan/intro/index.htm
and
http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/index_en.htm
Further Contact Information
Press and Media Relations
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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