92001E0712

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0712/01

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(1 March 2001)

Subject: Humanitarian and economic disaster in Mongolia

For the second year running, Mongolia has found itself in the grip of an extremely harsh winter which, with temperatures of minus 30°C and very heavy snowfalls preventing animals from grazing, poses a grave threat to a large proportion of the country's 30 million livestock. Last year's economic disaster resulted in the deaths of 2,4 million livestock and was followed by an extremely dry summer. The Mongolian Government and experts from the United Nations Development Programme estimate that without a rapid injection of aid on a massive scale, some 12 million livestock are likely to die during the coming weeks, which in humanitarian terms would be nothing short of disastrous. The climatic conditions at the end of January caused the deaths of more than 500 000 livestock and left more than 75 000 Mongolian families struggling to survive.

The European Union, India, Israel and other countries have responded to the appeal launched jointly by the Mongolian Government and the United Nations with offers of several hundred thousand dollars in aid. But the need for aid has been estimated at USD 8,7 million, a figure that does not include approximately USD 4 million in food and other aid animal feed is the top priority needed to contain an economic disaster that is already taking hold and is fast becoming a humanitarian tragedy?

Is the Commission in agreement with the overall assessment of the aid needed?

If so, does it intend to limit its humanitarian intervention and emergency aid to the amounts already committed?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(30 March 2001)

In the last few weeks the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has received information on the situation in Mongolia from United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations. According to the reports, Mongolia is experiencing a second consecutive winter of blizzards and extremely low temperatures whose negative effects are exacerbated by the previous summer's prolonged drought. Such climatic conditions result in serious humanitarian problems for the population in the affected regions. They have lost a large proportion of livestock which is their main source of income.

ECHO is financing urgent humanitarian operations to meet the needs of the people in the most badly affected regions. Their main priority is to satisfy immediate food requirements caused by the disastrous winger (dzud). The Commission is in the process of approving a decision to grant aid worth 1 030 000 for a period of six months. This is in addition to the aid granted by ECHO in 2000 which was worth 1 875 000 to assist Mongolian families suffering from the consequences of the harsh winter of 1999/2000 and the subsequent drought.

The Commission is continuing to assist Mongolia through the TACIS programme. It aims to facilitate its transition towards a market economy by supporting reforms begun by the Mongolian government. Its long-term aim is to help reduce Mongolia's vulnerability to the economic effects of natural disasters.