The European Commission allocates €6 million to support Internally Displaced people in Uganda
BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, April 26, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The European Commission is providing €6 million to bring humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced people (IDP’s) in Uganda. The funds will be channelled through the Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) under the direct responsibility of Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva.
“Even if Uganda has enjoyed relative peace since 2006, the country is still recovering from the terrible conflict between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the government which ravaged the country for two decades. More than 1.4 million internally displaced people have begun returning to their homes, but a durable solution still has to be found for those extremely vulnerable members of the communities,” said Kristalina Georgieva. She added, “We are committed to bringing relief to those who need it most, particularly in the Acholi region, where 86% of the displaced people are concentrated and where food security remains a concern.”
The funding will support the phasing-out and eventual closure of the IDP camps in the Acholi region of north-central Uganda while placing emphasis on food assistance and basic services to the population. An important component will be to assist extremely vulnerable individuals reintegrate into their villages of origin.
Background
All Commission-funded humanitarian projects are implemented by non-governmental relief organisations, specialised UN agencies and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. ECHO has support offices in most of the countries concerned. Its field experts closely follow developments in the humanitarian situation and play an active role in local coordination of relief efforts. They also monitor the use of the Commission’s relief funds.
SOURCE
European Commission
