EC provides €5 million for conflict victims and refugees

Kathmandu, June 15: The European Commission (EC) has allocated €5 million to assist conflict-affected vulnerable people in Nepal as well as Bhutanese living in Nepal.

A press statement issued by the EC in Kathmandu said, “This new funding will help to provide access to clean water and sanitation, nutrition, food security, health care and protection for the victims of this forgotten crisis.”

All funds are channeled through the Commission’s Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid, ECHO, under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. Of the total assistance, €3 million is dedicated to assisting vulnerable rural populations affected by the conflict which started in 1996. Under this Global Plan, at least 170,000 people living in remote rural districts in Nepal will receive protection assistance and will see their living conditions improved through the provision of health as well as water and sanitation facilities, and through food security operations, the statement adds.

€2 million will be dedicated to helping the 107,000 exiled Bhutanese who have been living in camps in eastern Nepal since the early nineties with no political solution in sight.

This funding will allow them receive food rations, the statement further said. Since 1993, the Commission has provided nearly €22 million in humanitarian aid for vulnerable people in Nepal. Bhutan News Service