EU to give 2m euro for humanitarian aid

JAKARTA: The European Commission pledged to donate 2 million euro (about US$2.4 million) for humanitarian aid to tackle malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara and Papua provinces.

"The funds, targeting nutrition, water and sanitation, will benefit around 130,000 vulnerable people mainly in the two provinces," the EU media statement said on Wednesday.

The statement said the funds would cover supplementary feeding for malnourished children, nutritional education for mothers, as well as providing safe water supply and appropriate sanitation to reduce the incidence of diarrhea prevalent among young children.

EU said the aid would be managed by the European Commission's humanitarian aid department under the responsibility of commissioner Louis Michel.

"We all know about the terrible effects of the tsunami, but there are other humanitarian challenges that are less publicized. Our commitment is to make sure that people who are suffering outside the media spotlight also get help," Michel said in the statement. -- JP