Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-03-16-Speech-4-183"
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"en.20000316.6.4-183"2
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"Mr President, the recent floods in Mozambique, followed by the hurricane, have thrown the country into complete disarray, at a time when it was just about recovering from the political atrocities of the past. It is sad that this should happen to one of the world’s poorest countries as well. Unfortunately, aid got under way relatively late in the day, at least according to the reports. Those images of people perched on rooftops and in trees, which were transmitted across the world, have naturally caused questions to be directed at the international community and the NGOs regarding the speed of action required to alleviate the worst of the emergency situation. Moreover, the world also witnessed how quickly South African helicopters were on the scene and how they saved a few thousand people as a result. I think it would be fitting to pay tribute to them for these efforts.
Meanwhile, we have heard from Commissioner Nielson that a great deal more was done than was made known. We appreciate the fact that he travelled to Mozambique in person to assess the situation and to see what the EU could do in the way of aid. In my opinion, the programme which has now been drawn up in conjunction with the Mozambique government is a sound one, also because it is phased. It will first address emergency aid, then housing and infrastructure and after that structural aid in order to get the affected areas back on their feet. The funding which has been set aside for this project is considerable. I have heard that the international community has put one hundred million on the table in the meantime, and that the EU has made a disproportionate contribution to this. Moreover, I heard this morning that debts have most definitely been deferred but that it is to be examined how this will be dealt with in future. It would be good, of course, if these debts were actually suspended, for then the Mozambique government could use the funds for this purpose.
Mr President, I am left with an uncomfortable feeling. The images which have been broadcast obviously do not reflect reality. Mr Van den Bos has also pointed this out. This means that the European Commission should consider whether the international intervention power which Mr Solana is busy setting up should not be supplemented with a kind of European intervention power for humanitarian aid, which acts quickly and which can also inform the media quickly on the work that is being done. The images were inadequate, the disaster is very sad indeed, but the European Union did not stand idly by, as was suggested. We most definitely provided support. I think it is only fair to clarify this here."@en1
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