EC gives 27 million euros for refugees in Tanzania

The European Commission's Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has allocated 27 million euros (some US $24 million) to finance humanitarian operations for refugees in Tanzania in 2002, the EC announced in a press release on 4 March. The funds will support a range of activities, including food aid, logistics, water and sanitation, health nutrition, and shelter and protection, said the statement. "This new support shows the continued commitment of the European Union [EU] to assist refugees in Tanzania, and to reduce the burden on the Tanzanian people. We have kept the EU contribution for refugees in Tanzania at existing high levels," said the Head of the EC's delegation in Tanzania, Ambassador William Hanna, commenting on the donation. "In addition, the EC continues to assist the local Tanzanian population in the areas affected by refugees, under the Special Programme for Refugee-Affected Areas," he added. "The EU, through the Commission and the Member States, continues to support the Burundi peace process, in which Tanzania is playing such a leading role, and which aims at creating conditions of peace and stability which are needed for refugees to return home voluntarily." The Tanzanian government, in conjunction with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, was assisting a total of 505,745 refugees in camps in western Tanzania at the end of January 2002. The vast majority of the refugees are from neighbouring Burundi (352,916), followed by DRC (123,418), Rwanda (24,191) and Somalia (3,425). The government estimates that a further 470,000 people living in settlements, towns and villages in Tanzania are not being assisted. Since 1998, the refugee population in Tanzania has increased by just over 30 percent. Since then, ECHO has donated more than 90 million euros (some US $80 million) in humanitarian assistance to Tanzania.