The European Union, through the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), has made available Euro 200,000 (PGK 807,000) for immediate emergency assistance to the people affected by the recent earthquake and flooding in the East Sepik and Highlands provinces.
The funding was channeled through the International Organization for Migration (IOM), will prioritize the provision of shelter materials and essential items for people displaced by the disasters, including solar lights, sleeping mats, and kitchen utensils. The support will also focus on ensuring people’s access to clean and safe drinking water, as well as hygiene products such as sanitary pads, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bath towels, and soap.
The European Union Ambassador to PNG Jacques Fradin expressed EU’s solidarity with those who are suffering and are affected by these tragic events.
“Over the past weeks, floods and earthquakes have cost lives and left a trail of destruction in PNG. The European Union’s humanitarian assistance will support the delivery of essential aid to address the urgent needs of the most vulnerable communities in the hardest hit areas,” Fradin said
This emergency funding is made available through the ‘Emergency Toolbox’, one of the instruments that European Commission uses to assist in unforeseen, sudden-onset crises.
