EU gives Mali extra €20m
2013-01-22 15:55
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Mali
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Brussels - The EU executive on Tuesday announced €20m of
extra humanitarian aid to help tens of thousands of Malians fleeing fighting in
the nation's north and centre, its second such donation in as many months.
"I appeal to other donors to act swiftly as the
populations have been weakened by months of hardship," said the EU's
crisis response commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, who was in Bamako in her
second visit since December, when the European Commission too offered €20m in
aid.
"Since then the situation has further deteriorated with
combats between Islamist forces and the Malian army coming closer to the south,
resulting in additional needs," she said. "We have therefore
mobilised an additional €20m to meet the increased humanitarian
vulnerability".
The new funds will go to help severely malnourished
children, assist 100 000 Malians who have fled to neighbouring countries, and
provide some 150 000 people in Mali with food and basic services.
Last year the EU allocated €73m to Malian victims of the
food crisis and political conflict, with EU nations in addition providing €38m,
bringing the EU total in 2012 to €111m.
The 27-nation bloc will also contribute €50m to support the
deployment of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA).
A number of development programmes worth about €250m that
were suspended after a coup in March last year may also be resumed soon.
- SAPA
