The European Union has just allocated more than 300 million pesos to provide emergency humanitarian aid to people affected by the floods in the La Mojana region of the Colombian Caribbean.
The funds have been mobilized by the Directorate General for Civil Protection and European Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and will support the Colombian Red Cross in providing emergency assistance to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable people.
Due to climate change, illegal mining, as well as the massive expansion of agriculture and cattle ranching, the system of canals and swamps that regulate the flow of water in La Mojana has suffered constant damage and is failing. Eleven municipalities have suffered significant damage from flooding in the sectors of Cara de Gato, Los Arrastres, Santillana and Caño Viloria. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), approximately 165,000 people have been affected.
This humanitarian intervention, financed by the European Union, will benefit 8,000 people (1,600 families) who will receive food aid, water, sanitation and hygiene and information for 3 months.
As part of the intervention in the water, hygiene and sanitation sector, the most vulnerable families will receive hygiene kits accompanied by training sessions to teach them how to use the kits and reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.
The beneficiaries will receive food kits to cover the nutritional needs of a family of five for two weeks.
“The European Union, through this contribution, reaffirms its support to vulnerable people suffering from disasters related to climate change. Beyond humanitarian assistance, the only way to reduce the frequency and impact of such disasters is to achieve sustainable development that will curb climate change and environmental degradation, which is a priority of our cooperation with Colombia,” said Gilles Bertrand, Ambassador of the European Union in Colombia.
EURAXESS comes to Colombia |
Background
Through the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Department, the European Union supports millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a worldwide network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.
The European Union has a humanitarian funding agreement of over 13 billion pesos with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF). DREF funds are primarily for “small-scale” disasters, i.e., those that do not result in an international emergency appeal.
This fund was established in 1985 and is composed of financial contributions made by different donors. Whenever a national Red Cross or Red Crescent organization needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can apply for resources from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates money from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF), which can then be reimbursed by donors (DREF). The agreement between the IFRC and the European Commission allows for subsequent reimbursement for operations (in line with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of EUR 3 million.
Source: European External Action Service, Delegation to Colombia
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