WRITTEN QUESTION No. 27/98 by Christoph KONRAD to the Commission. EU humanitarian aid projects in Afghanistan
Date: 1998-01-29
Institutions: European Parliament, KONRAD
Subjects: Afghanistan, aid policy, economic support, financial cooperation, health care, humanitarian aid, international cooperation, non-governmental organisation, public health













EUR-Lex - 91998E0027 - EN






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91998E0027

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 27/98 by Christoph KONRAD to the Commission. EU humanitarian aid projects in Afghanistan  


Official Journal C 196 , 22/06/1998 P. 0108 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0027/98 by Christoph Konrad (PPE) to the Commission (29 January 1998)Subject: EU humanitarian aid projects in Afghanistan1. Is the European Union currently supporting any humanitarian aid projects in Afghanistan?2. If so, what specific projects involving humanitarian medical aid for children are receiving support?3. In its development aid for humanitarian projects, is the Commission cooperating with aid organizations and NGOs and,4. if so, how does this work in practice on the spot and what are the financial arrangements?5. What conditions must humanitarian organizations at national level satisfy to be eligible for EU funding?Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (17 March 1998)The Commission committed during the 1996/1997 period 124 MECU for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. It has recently approved a programme of 17 MECU for humanitarian assistance in favour of the victims of the on-going conflict in this country. The Commission has also announced the approval of emergency aid for the victims of the earthquake that affected the province of Takhar on 4 February 1998.Commission assistance to Afghanistan is implemented by European and Afghan non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Red Cross and United Nations agencies. The aims of the humanitarian operations are to secure essential medical services in several areas in the country, strengthen social safety nets, assist the humanitarian de-mining effort and rehabilitate destroyed physical infra-structure. Priority is given to addressing the needs of women and children.Some of the humanitarian operations have a specific objective of reducing maternal morbidity and infant mortality. The Community is funding projects for intensive feeding for severely undernourished children, assisting mother and child health centres and supporting paediatric, gynaecological and obstetrical surgical activities in various hospitals in Kabul.Humanitarian organisations must under Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/96 of 20 June 1996 concerning humanitarian aid ((OJ L 163, 2.7.1996. )) be non-profit making autonomous organisations in a Member State under the laws in force in that Member State, and have their main headquarters in a Member State of the Community or in the third countries in receipt of the Community aid.Account is also taken of administrative and financial management capacities, technical and logistical capacity in relation to the planned operation, experience in the field of humanitarian aid, the results of previous operations carried out by the organisation concerned and, where appropriate, previous experience in the third country involved in the humanitarian operation concerned.As for finance, NGOs eligible for funding sign an operation contract for the implementation of a specific project and operation according to the provisions of the framework partnership contract for humanitarian aid adopted by the Commission in May 1993. This framework contract establishes the financial conditions, general and specific, applied to Community funded humanitarian projects.