Press Release: The European Commission provides EUR 7m for natural disaster preparedness in South-East Asia

The European Commission has adopted €7 million from the humanitarian aid budget to improve the capacities of communities at risk to better prepare for and protect themselves against natural disasters in South-East Asia. The funds will be channelled through the Commission's humanitarian aid department (ECHO) under the direct responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. The decision was adopted under the 5th DIPECHO (for Disaster Preparedness ECHO) Action Plan and will target the most vulnerable local communities, approximately 1.5 million beneficiaries, in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.