European Union Pledges EUR 420 M Emergency Aid for Haiti

Following an emergency meeting of European ministers, chaired by Catherine Ashton (c.), the EU has pledged EUR 420 M to assist relief work in Haiti. Photo by BGNES

European Union member states have pledged to provided more than EUR 420 M to assist Haiti, half of which is dedicated to emergency and short-term aid.

European ministers have also been discussing at an emergency meeting the deployment of a security mission to assist with maintaining law and order in Haiti.

The European Commission will provide EUR 137 M for short-term aid and at least EUR 200 M for the longer term. Member states will, in addition, contribute EUR 92 M between them.

The EC stated the immediate priority had been to dispatch urban search and rescue teams, including military and civil engineering teams.

"The current focus is to provide emergency health, water and sanitation, medical facilities, shelter, logistics, telecommunications and food," an EC spokesperson announced.

EU ministers said that the work required "adequate security on the ground to ensure safe and unhindered access of aid deliveries".

Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Konstantin Dimitrov, has announced on Monday that the country had agreed on its contribution to the European initiative.

"Bulgaria is ready to send a medical team, military field hospital and medicines to Haiti," Dimitrov said.

He has confirmed the Bulgaria's readiness for immediate action following an assessment by the EU teams. According to Dimitrov, the Bulgarian support will be ready to ship by the end of the week.

Bulgarian PM Borisov had already announced on Friday that Bulgaria was ready to provide assistance to quake-stricken Haiti.

The new High Representative for Foreign Policy, Catherine Ashton, who chaired Monday's ministerial meeting, said that the infrastructure of Haiti had been destroyed, and the most urgent tasks were the opening up of roads and freeing of routes for the humanitarian aid.

"The current focus is to provide emergency health, water and sanitation, medical facilities, shelter, logistics, telecommunications and food." an official said.

Ministers agreed that the EU should send appropriate assistance to Haiti at the right time, so that the funds and humanitarian aid would reach their proper destination and be as effective as possible.

The UN has launched its own appeal for EUR 390 M, which is intended to help support three million people for six months. On Sunday, the UN Director-General, Ban Ki-Moon, visited Haiti's capital, Port au Prince, to inspect the damage for himself, and urge the citizens to be patient while they wait for aid to arrive.

He returned to UN headquarters with the coffins of some of his Haiti-based staff who had been killed when their headquarters had collapsed in the earthquake. The destruction of the UN mission has added to the difficulties of organizing and distributing aid on the ground.

Lt Gen Ken Geen, responsible for running the US military relief effort, was asked on Monday about death toll estimates of between 150 000 and 200 000 people. He replied: "I think the international community is looking at those figures, and I think that's a start point. Clearly, this is a disaster of epic proportions, and we've got a lot of work ahead of us."

The European aid budget agreed on Monday is a significant contribution to the international pledges already made. These donors include (USD): US - 100 M, with more promised; UK - 32 M; France -14,4 M; Norway - 17,6 M; World Bank - 100 M. Together with the EU and UN commitments, this represents a total of at least USD 1 427 M.

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