Humanitarian aid – annual review published, May 2003

More than €538 million worth of aid was delivered by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) in 2002, benefiting over 40 million people in some 60 countries. The combined aid provided by the European Commission and the Member States makes the Union the world's largest donor, putting it in a position to 'spearhead and influence the international humanitarian response.'

During 2002, ECHO pursued a three-fold strategy:

• intervening in areas of greatest humanitarian need
• continuing support for forgotten crises
• providing quality humanitarian aid by ensuring that relief, rehabilitation and development efforts are properly coordinated

Details of work undertaken in 2002 are given in an Annual Review, released on 15 May 2003. The Review 'tells the human story of the relief we provide to the most vulnerable victims of man-made or natural crises in the world beyond the bare facts and figures', said Commissioner Poul Nielson, responsible for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

During the year, focus shifted from the Western Balkans - where the cessation of hostilities and subsequent reconstruction allowed ECHO to close several of its offices - to Asia and Africa, where the majority of humanitarian aid was distributed.

Amongst the countries identified as being 'forgotten' by the media - but where there is still a need for humanitarian intervention - are Afghanistan, Chechnya, Angola, Sudan, Northern Uganda, Western Sahara and Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the launch of the Review, Commissioner Neilson took the opportunity to highlight ECHO's role in Iraq, where the EU has been providing humanitarian assistance since the Humanitarian Aid Office was established in 1992. During those 10 years, ECHO was the largest donor in Iraq, providing €157 million, mainly to support the provision of health and sanitation services. He also confirmed that a new ECHO office will be opening in Baghdad.

However, he stressed the need to ensure 'the importance of upholding the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law - humanity, impartiality and independence of action - and the necessity of a clear separation between military and humanitarian action.The aim of ECHO's aid in Iraq and elsewhere is to prevent or relieve human suffering. It is accorded to victims without discrimination and is never subject to political considerations.'

In the context of another conflict, the Commissioner highlighted the problems faced by ECHO in getting access to the Palestinian Territories, where Israel has limited 'the movements and operations of aid organisations.' The Palestinian Territories face a 'growing humanitarian crisis', making the provision of humanitarian aid 'essential'.

Tribute was paid to ECHO's partners, which include non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies, and the Red Cross. Relations between ECHO and such organisations are still developing, with the Commission having recently signed a new agreement with the United Nations and being close to completing new Framework Partnership Agreements with NGOs and other international organisations.

Mr Neilson also expressed concern that a re-organisation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy under the European Constitution might lead to humanitarian aid being subsumed within 'an all-encompassing machine' and 'become a tool for wider policy objectives and hidden agendas'. Such a move would, he said, be a 'serious mistake', as 'humanitarian aid deserves and needs a legal basis of its own founded on the principle of impartiality.'

Links:

European Commission:
	15.05.03:	“Humanitarian principles under threat”, says Poul Nielson [IP/03/686]
	15.05.03:	Poul Nielson: Presentation of the Annual review of the Humanitarian Aid Office 'ECHO 2002' [SPEECH/03/245]
	ECHO 2002 [text of report]

Eric Davies
Researcher
Compiled: Friday, 16 May 2003

The activities of the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) in 2002 are summed up in annual review, released by the European Commission on 15 May 2003. Keywords: ECHO