Tripoli, 3 August 2015:
The European Union is to give €6 million for urgent humanitarian aid for Libyans severely affected by the . . .[restrict]conflict in the country. According to an EU statement “this includes migrants, refugees and asylum seekers”.
The money is to be used to help provide health care and protection for those considered the most vulnerable, for the delivery of items such as kitchen equipment, blankets and mattresses, and to help humanitarian organisations assess the situation on the ground so they can better respond to needs .
“The EU will not abandon people in Libya suffering as a result of the conflict,’ said Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. “The EU’s impartial and neutral humanitarian response is crucial and is solely given to meet urgent needs. We urge all parties to the conflict to halt attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructures, such as hospitals and schools, and ensure immediate, safe and unrestricted humanitarian access to all people in need?.”
It is not known where the aid will go.
Last week, Tuareg and Tebu representatives from the war-torn town of Obari who were holding peace negotiations in Brussels met with EU officials and called on them to provide urgent humanitarian aid for the town’s displaced and for those in other places in Libya.
Since the crisis escalated a year ago, the EU has organised a total of €8.76 million in support of the United Nations, international organisations and NGOs to respond to humanitarian needs in Libya. [/restrict]
