ECHO: Central America

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S HUMANITARIAN AID IN CENTRAL AMERICA: AN EXPRESSION OF SOLIDARITY AND IMPARTIALITY

In Central America, the European Commission has been providing constant humanitarian support since the creation of its Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) in 1992. More than 13 years ago, the Commission was already supporting humanitarian aid missions to bring relief to victims of flooding in eastern El Salvador.

After Hurricane Mitch in October 1998, the European Commission responded immediately and with significant sums to requests for aid from Central American governments. The Commission took several decisions to respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, including a Global Plan for Central America. Starting that year, Central American countries benefited from more than €30 million in humanitarian aid to recover from Hurricane Mitch through tens of projects managed by humanitarian partners of the European Commission.

Comasagua, Dept of La Libertad, El Salvador. 2005 © Spanish Red Cross

Since 2001, the European Commission has adopted a new primary emergency procedure, which permits an immediate response in crisis situations, such as those recently experienced in Guatemala and El Salvador with Tropical Storm Stan and the eruption of Ilamatepec Volcano. Less than 24 hours after the announcement of a state of emergency by the Government of El Salvador, the European Commission took a primary emergency decision. The Commission immediately granted €1.35 million to help victims of floods and landslides in the most affected regions of the country. In total, more than 30,000 Salvadorans received European humanitarian aid. This contribution allowed men, women and children victim to the floods and landslides to receive hygiene items, mattresses, blankets, food rations, water and primary health care.

The Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission completed a field evaluation of the remaining needs both in El Salvador and in Guatemala. This evaluation led to the adoption of additional €8.6 million funding decisions. The funding supports humanitarian actions in areas of Guatemala and El Salvador where people affected by the passage of Hurricane Stan still face significant needs.

EC Humanitarian Aid Department opened an office in Guatemala City in May 2006 to follow closely the operations funded by the European Commission in Guatemala and El Salvador. Moreover, EC Humanitarian Aid Department has a Regional Support Office (RSO) for Latin America and the Caribbean based in Managua, Nicaragua. The RSO provides support to other offices in the region, contributing to a good implementation of humanitarian operations funded by the EC.

In addition to tackling crises, the European Commission also seeks to strengthen the response capacities of authorities and vulnerable communities through its DIPECHO programme (link: http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/field/dipecho/index_en.htm). Operations under DIPECHO 5th Action Plan for Central America will soon start and will last 18 months.