ECHO: 2007 Annual Report

The report presents the operational activities of the Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid of the European Commission in 2007. No major humanitarian crisis occurred during this period. However, natural disasters exacerbated by climate change have increased both in frequency and severity. Even though the number of conflicts has not changed, they tend to last longer and are increasingly destructive despite a decrease in the number of refugees in recent years.

ACT

Report from the Commission of 9 July 2008 – Annual Report 2007 of the Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) [COM(2008) 449 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

SUMMARY

In 2007 the Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO) allocated a budget of €722 million. Financed actions made it possible to respond quickly to natural and man-made disasters and crises in non-EU member countries.

Main Interventions

DG ECHO allocated 55 % of its budget to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states, with a particular focus on Africa (Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Zimbabwe, Sahel, Uganda and Ethiopia).

20 % of the budget was allocated to Asia and Latin America in light of the crises and natural disasters which occurred in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Myanmar and Latin America (Peru, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Colombia).

Countries in the Middle East and New Independent States (NIS) received 16 % of the budget to support vulnerable populations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, and vulnerable populations affected by the crisis in Chechnya.

DG ECHO continued to support victims of forgotten crises like Sahrawi refugees in Algeria, Bhutanese refugees, victims of the Maoist insurrection in Nepal and populations affected by conflict in India (Jammu and Kashmir).

In 2007 the linkage between relief, rehabilitation and development strategy (LRRD) was reinforced through the adoption of the 2007-2013 Development Co-operation Instrument (DCI) and the 2007-2013 Instrument for Stability.

Disaster preparedness remained a main priority achieved by the implementation of DIPECHO projects at local and regional levels to increase awareness about potential risks among highly vulnerable populations.

Non-governmental and international organisations as well as United Nations agencies who signed Framework Partnership Agreements and Partnership Agreements received specific program funding.

Detailed information about interventions financed in 2007 appears in the appendix to the report.

Other interventions

DG ECHO ensured the mobilisation and quality of humanitarian aid, paying particular attention to the safety of field staff, rapid response and enhanced monitoring at every phase of an intervention.

The Commission also deepened its relationships with other European institutions, national institutions of Member States, international institutions and non-European donors.

Context

DG ECHO operates within the framework of the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid adopted in 2007 by the European Parliament, Council and Commission. In 2008 the Consensus should be followed by an operational action plan.

See also