HUMANITARIAN AID IN BURMA.

Europe Environment, January, 2008

The European Commission announced a humanitarian aid of 18 million to the Burmese population on 20 December. This aid, funded by ECHO, the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department, will be distributed by partner NGOs, the Red Cross and UN agencies and will benefit about 1.2 million people in 2008.

It will fund basic needs like water purification, food and combating malaria amongst the vulnerable in the border region with Thailand and those who have no access to basic social services. The 138,000 Burmese refugees who have been living in camps in Thailand for years will be the Commission's other target. Since 2000, ECHO has granted almost 100 million to Burma. In October 2005, an ECHO office was opened in Yangon to facilitate the provision of aid. (SFA)