ECHO aid to boost humanitarian operations

Humanitarian operations in Angola are to receive an Euro 8 million (about US $8.5 million) boost from the European Commission (EC). The aid package would be channelled by the EC Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) though partner organisations and international agencies operating in the country, the EC said in a statement. "The peace process that began in April 2002 continues apace. The challenge is now reconstruction, rehabilitation and the return of displaced people. Although the end of the war paves the way for displaced people to return to their places of origin, the humanitarian crisis in Angola will remain very serious at least until the returnees are able to harvest their first crops," the EC noted. Nearly three decades of civil war has devastated Angola's economy and infrastructure and about two million people require food aid to survive. Humanitarian agencies say they are still unable to reach 40 percent of the countryside due to damaged infrastructure, inadequate road networks and extensive landmine infestation. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan noted in his latest report to the Security Council that "by mid-January approximately 445,000 people who had earlier been receiving assistance were inaccessible. Following a series of mine incidents in November and December, operations were shut down or reduced in 13 locations in seven heavily mined provinces". He warned that the situation of the people in those areas was "reportedly deteriorating and may become critical unless access can be re-established". Poul Nielson, EC Commissioner responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid, who recently visited the country, said: "As I saw for myself ... it is clear that the Commission will continue to have a humanitarian role in Angola for some time to come. In 2003, ECHO will focus its efforts on meeting the needs of people in newly accessible areas, and of returning internally displaced populations and refugees." ECHO aid would be focussed mainly on emergency health and nutrition interventions, emergency relief, legal protection for vulnerable people - especially children, women and returning refugees. It would also assist with the World Food Programmes' logistics operation - paying for air and road transport for food, seeds and tools, non-food items and humanitarian personnel. For the first time, ECHO will include emergency HIV/AIDS awareness activities in all interventions, the organisation said. Since 1993, the EC has provided more than Euro 143 million (about US $153.4 million) in humanitarian aid for victims of the Angolan crisis.