South Sudan: EU steps up efforts to prevent a humanitarian tragedy
14 Apr 2014 10:49 AM
Due to the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian
situation in South Sudan, the European Commission is ready to boost its
live-saving assistance by €45 million to prevent an appalling tragedy in
the country which is affecting the whole
region.
This upcoming funding has been announced during a
high-level meeting on the South Sudan humanitarian crisis organised in
Washington by the European Commission, the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs and the United States Agency for International
Development.
"We are currently very close to South Sudan
becoming one of the biggest protracted humanitarian crisis of our time. The
international community needs to prevent this from happening at all cost. Over
one million people have been displaced within and outside of the country,
affecting the whole region. Over three million people are in urgent need of
humanitarian aid and these numbers keep rising day by day without any prospects
for improvement", said Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for
International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis
Response.
Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development
commented: "The descent of South Sudan into violent conflict causes
enormous suffering among innocent civilians. To respond to the worsening
humanitarian situation and help the people of South Sudan we are determined to
use all available instruments and have therefore decided to mobilise
today’s additional assistance from the European Development Fund. We aim
to ensure that basic services and food aid reach those South Sudanese who are
internally displaced or have sought refuge in neighbouring
countries".
More and more refugees are arriving to the overcrowded
sites in Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya. Internally displaced persons and
refugees are completely dependent on humanitarian assistance. More than half of
the South Sudanese population, 7 million people, are at risk of food
insecurity.
Commissioner Georgieva also renewed her appeal to all
parties to allow humanitarian access to Sudanese people in need:
“Humanitarian aid workers are at a great risk every day. It is
critical that neutral, impartial and experienced humanitarian workers can reach
vulnerable people to deliver the assistance necessary for their
survival.”
The
new funding brings the Commission's relief aid in South Sudan to €95
million for this year. The funds come from the European Development Fund and is
still subject to final approval by the Member States.
It
will support immediate life-saving activities such as distributing essential
food and non-food items, as well as providing shelter, health, protection,
water, hygiene and sanitation. Part of the funding - €15 million - will
directly address the urgent needs of South Sudanese refugees.
Background
Humanitarian situation in South Sudan is grave ever
since armed violence broke out in the capital Juba on 15 December 2013 and
subsequently spread to several states in South Sudan. Over 800 000 people have
been internally displaced and more than 250 000 have sought refuge in
neighbouring countries. The dead and the wounded are estimated to be in the
tens of thousands.
The
main humanitarian needs are for food, clean water, healthcare, shelter,
sanitation, hygiene and protection. Current humanitarian response capacity is
insufficient and might decrease further since the rainy season has started
earlier and makes access to many parts of the country even more difficult. The
UN has declared South Sudan a "level 3" crises.
The
European Commission is making €95 million available in 2014 to respond to
the unfolding and intensifying humanitarian crisis in the
country.
A
team of humanitarian experts of the Commission is on the ground monitoring the
situation, assessing needs and overseeing the use of EU funds.
For
more information
South Sudan factsheet:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/south-sudan_en.pd
f
The
European Commission's humanitarian aid and civil
protection:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm
Commissioner Georgieva's website:
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/georgieva/index_en.htm