Europeans support humanitarian aid despite hardship: Survey

NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding their sluggish economic condition, about 90 per cent Europeans still support humanitarian aids for people in need around the world, a Europe-wide survey has found.

The new Eurobarometre survey on humanitarian and civil protection carried out in 27 European Union (EU) member states found that nine out of 10 citizens believe it is important for the EU to continue funding humanitarian aid, a rise of nine percentage points since the last survey in 2010.

"Even in times of hardship, the EU public still supports us in helping people around the world who through no fault of their own find themselves in dire need -- and that support has strengthened over the last two years," European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva said in a release here.

"I'm proud for Europe that there is such a strong commitment and support for humanitarian aid and civil protection despite the difficulties we face today. We do not take such generosity for granted. It is our duty to do our utmost to deliver aid and protection in a compassionate, professional and efficient way," the Commissioner added.

The European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) helps funding humanitarian aid operations around the world. Since 1996, it has been funding humanitarian aid projects in India to alleviate the suffering of people affected by violence and natural disasters.

So far ECHO has allocated about euro 100 million in humanitarian aid to India. Most recently, it provided euro one million to help people affected by Cyclone Thane which hit the coast of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in December 2011.

The Commission also responded to the 2011 monsoon floods allocating euro 3 million to help the hardest-hit communities in Orissa, Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

ECHO has also funded relief assistance following several natural catastrophes in India, including the Tsunami in 2004, the Kashmir earthquake in 2005, the Bihar floods in 2007 and Cyclone Aila in 2009.