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(2004/C 88 E/0563)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0939/04

by Robert Evans (PSE) to the Commission

(26 March 2004)

Subject:   Ethiopia

It appears that the crisis continues in Ethiopia and shows little sign of improvement.

Would the Commission indicate the current EU contributions in food and development aid and whether it feels this is adequate?

Would the Commission also indicate whether its discussions with the Ethiopian Government on food security have made any progress?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 2004)

The Commission addresses issues such as long term food security and the threat of famine by means of all its funding and policy instruments. This provides a coherent package of assistance to Ethiopia.

2003 has been a particularly difficult year: indeed, it has triggered an unprecedented response on behalf of the Commission, essentially through the Food Aid Budget Line. Over 400 000 tonnes of cereals were allocated in 2003, (of which 360 000 were delivered), amounting to more than EUR 120 million to help alleviate the needs of approximately 13 million people living in conditions of severe food insecurity. Afterwards, the main harvest (Kremt) from September to November was exceptionally good in 2003, thus improving the availability of food in the country, at more affordable prices. Large marketable surpluses of cereals have been identified (estimated at around 1,1 million tonnes according to the SIDA/WFP/EC (1) Cereal Availability Survey). However, despite this, vulnerability remains high: over seven million people will require almost one million tonnes of food aid in 2004. In this year of surplus production, it will be important to import as little food aid as possible in order to avoid disincentive effects on local producers.

The Commission intends to cover approximately 20 % of the identified needs for 2004, and in order to avoid market distortions it will buy food products predominantly from local markets.

Furthermore, while the Commission's short-term response to the food crisis in 2003 has been very effective, it is increasingly concerned that a large section of the population in Ethiopia has become vulnerable and increasingly destitute. Although food aid saves lives, it does not save livelihoods, and every recurring crisis plunges increasing numbers of people into destitution and chronic food insecurity.

The Commission's dialogue with the Ethiopian Government, the Member States and other Donors has been under way since 1996 but has moved up a gear in the last couple of years. This dialogue has highlighted the need to address chronic food insecurity through different means, and to develop a long term Food Security strategy. The Commission has been financially supporting these efforts since 1998 with three programmes for a total of EUR 46 million.

Over the past year, the Government's strategic work has led to The new Coalition for Food Security in Ethiopia' initiative. A cornerstone of this new programme is creating safety nets for the structurally vulnerable/chronically food insecure share of the population, with the aim of progressively replacing emergency systems. It is relevant to point out in this regard that this strategy will require convincing all donors, including the United States and some non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to amend their food aid programme in favour of a more structural approach to food security.

The Commission has agreed to allocate EUR 120 million in support of a multi-annual Food Security strategy, in particular in support of safety nets EUR 60 million from the European Development Fund/National Indicative Programme (EDF/NIP) funds of the 9th EDF and EUR 60 million from the Food Security Budget Line). These funds are expected to be allocated during 2004 through a budget support programme.

Finally, with regards to the Humanitarian Aid Office's (ECHO) aid, EUR 4 million was allocated during 2003 in response to the drought crisis to complement the food aid response. This was largely for livestock support to pastoralists to maintain their staple diet of milk from their animals. In addition, therapeutic feeding was provided for the severely malnourished. In November 2003, EUR 2 million was allocated to the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide health and Geneva Convention protection assistance for one year to victims of inter-ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia. In March 2004 a further EUR 1 million was allocated to victims of drought in Ethiopia. ECHO continues to closely monitor the humanitarian situation, always ready to respond to non-food emergency needs.

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(1)  Swedish International Development Authority/World Food Programme/European Commission.

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