EU creates new fund for African crises

The EU approved 165.7 million euros (US $196.4 million) on Monday for relief efforts in 10 African countries with humanitarian crises. "[The funds are for] foreseeable needs in ongoing crises but there are also margins for unexpected catastrophes that may occur during the year," Amadeu Altafaj, the EU spokesman, said on Tuesday from Brussels. The new fund was announced on the first anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed an estimated 200,000 people. "Millions of vulnerable people in Africa are exposed to natural disasters like droughts, floods and insect infestations as well as armed conflicts," Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said in a statement. The funds will be managed by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid office which works with 180 implementing partners including UN agencies and the Red Cross movement. The EU has apportioned 48 million euros ($56.9 million) of the funds for crises in Sudan and 38 million euros ($45 million) for crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The other beneficiary countries are Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda.