EUROPEAN COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 13 August 2014
EU steps up humanitarian aid to victims of displacement
and floods in Afghanistan and Pakistan
The European Commission has released additional funding of €3 million for Afghanistan to
help people affected by flooding and those seeking refuge from military operations in
Pakistan, bringing our overall humanitarian aid for these two countries in 2014 to €76.5
million.
In addition, €5 million has been allocated for Pakistan for people displaced by the military
operation against non-state actors in North Waziristan.
"Conflict and food insecurity keep millions of people in humanitarian need in Pakistan. In
Afghanistan, a country which has been repeatedly weakened by conflict, insecurity and
under-development, now severe flooding and a spill-over of the conflict in neighbouring
Pakistan are adding to the burden. It is vital that we protect the most vulnerable,
particular women, children and the elderly, by providing them with the protection and
assistance they so badly need," said Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, responsible for
International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
In Pakistan, military operations in June have caused a new wave of displacement from
North Waziristan Agency to neighbouring districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province as well
as across the border into Afghanistan. The additional funding will provide food, shelter,
medicines, drinking water, as well as protection activities for the displaced. Support will
also be given to those Pakistani families who are seeking refuge in Afghanistan and who
have been relying on the generosity of local host communities or living in camps.
In addition to hosting Pakistani refugees, Afghanistan was also affected by serious floods
and landslides in May. The new funding will contribute to relief efforts for vulnerable floodaffected families who lost their homes and livelihoods.
This increased amount in European Commission humanitarian assistance will be delivered
through humanitarian partners such as UN agencies, the Red Cross/Red Crescent
movement and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Background
North Waziristan Agency (NWA) is located on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border of the
Federally Administered Tribal Areas. A new wave of displacement from North Waziristan
Agency in Pakistan occurred in June following the launch of military operations by the
Pakistan Army against armed non-state actors in North Waziristan. International
humanitarian organisations have estimated that 500 000 Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) from NWA are urgently in need of assistance.
The current wave of displacement in Pakistan adds to almost one million people who
remain internally displaced due to conflict over several years, mainly in the Peshawar
IP/14/928
Valley. It is estimated that almost 50% of the people displaced live below the national
poverty threshold.
In addition, Pakistan currently hosts some 1.6 million registered Afghan refugees. Pakistan
is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. To help assist the most
vulnerable groups affected by recurrent natural disasters and conflict-driven humanitarian
crises, since 2009 the European Commission has provided over €440 million in relief
assistance, disaster risk reduction, the Children of Peace initiative and other measures to
build the resilience of those suffering the effects of disasters. This support is also used to
address under-nutrition as an estimated 3.7 million children in Pakistan suffer from acute
malnutrition.
In addition to those displaced within Pakistan, since June 2014, more than 112 000 people
have been forced to flee from North Waziristan across the border into Afghanistan and are
now refugees in the neighbouring Khost and Paktika provinces. Only half of the refugee
families have received humanitarian aid.
In the first half of 2014, severe flooding and landslides primarily in the Northern Provinces
of Afghanistan seriously affected over 150 000 people, creating significant humanitarian
needs. The impact on homes, harvests and livelihoods has been disasters. Frequent
natural disasters compound the effects of over three decades of conflict in Afghanistan.
Conflict and natural disasters continue to cause widespread displacement in both
Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both countries continue to face significant humanitarian
challenges, which are exacerbated by insecurity, natural disasters, poverty and restricted
access to basic services. Institutional capacity to respond to disasters is low, and
mechanisms to mitigate risks and build resilience need to be strengthened.
For more information
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
Emergency Response Coordination Centre:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/thematic/ERC_en.pdf
Factsheet for Pakistan:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/pakistan_en.pdf
Factsheet for Afghanistan:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/afghanistan_en.pdf
Factsheet: EU Children of Peace for Pakistan:
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/aid/countries/factsheets/thematic/npp_project_pakistan_en
.pdf
Contacts :
David Sharrock (+32 2 296 89 09)
Irina Novakova (+32 2 295 75 17)
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For the public: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 or by e-mail
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