EU donates extra €20m to tsunami victims

The European Union today gave an additional €20m to help victims of last year’s Indian Ocean tsunami, saying it would meet other major donors next week to take stock of the disaster, which killed more than 176,000 people.

The EU’s Executive Commission said it has now fulfilled its promise to donate €123m in humanitarian aid, part of a €2bn package from all 25 EU governments.

The European Commission said the latest aid would provide health care, water, sanitation and shelter for more than 1.5 million displaced people in the three worst-affected countries: Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India.

“To avoid discrimination in aid distribution, support will also be provided to vulnerable local populations – including people affected by conflict – in areas of Sri Lanka and Indonesia,” the EU said.

It stressed that aid was essential for people still living in camps. Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless by the quake-triggered tsunami that hit 11 countries in the region on December 26, 2004.

The Commission has also pledged €350m in reconstruction aid – nearly half of which has been committed – to rebuild infrastructure, regenerate communities and help people start work again.

EU officials will meet representatives from the United Nations, the World Bank and aid organisations, including the International Red Cross, on Tuesday to examine the disaster response so far and set out the next steps.

Representatives from the countries worst affected by the tsunami will also be present.

The EU head office and European governments have promised €566m for humanitarian aid – some 80% or €452m of which has been spent so far.

They also promised €1.5bn in grants for reconstruction. Just over 60% – or €902m - has been allocated and another €367m actually paid out.

EU countries and the European Investment Bank have said they will lend €566m. Some €115m of this has been transferred already.