Burma/Myanmar
Although Burma/Myanmar is rich in natural resources, it remains among the poorest nations in Asia. Humanitarian aid plays an important role in reducing suffering and providing basic services. The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), has been funding relief programmes in Burma/Myanmar since 1994 for a total amount of €110 million. ECHO opened an office in Yangon in 2005 to facilitate the delivery of European humanitarian aid.
Responding to urgent humanitarian needs
In 2011, the European Commission is committing €5 million to meet the humanitarian needs of the communities affected by Cyclone Giri. This is in addition to €3 million already allocated in 2010 which enabled implementing partners such as WFP, MSF-Holland, Save the Children UK, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Internal Rescue Committee (IRC) to provide assistance in the sectors of shelter, food, water and sanitation, health and early recovery for approximately 250,000 people. Humanitarian needs in these sectors have been identified to be the most acute.
Disaster Risk Reduction
DIPECHO (which stands for DIsaster Preparedness ECHO) is a programme set up by ECHO in 1996 to enable communities at risk to better prepare and protect themselves in response to disasters. In 2010, €1 million will be allocated under ECHO's Disaster Risk Reduction programme (DIPECHO) to support two projects implemented by specialised partners in the western coastal areas of the country. The funds are being made available under DIPECHO’s €10 million 7th Action Plan for South East Asia.
Stories from the field
- Blog: Myanmar's Magway flood victims choose the intervention best suited to their needs (2012)
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Myanmar's Magway communities choose the intervention best suited to their needs (2012)
- Addressing the forgotten crisis in Rakhine State, Burma/Myanmar (2012)
- Blog: Thailand: Refugees from Burma/Myanmar face an uncertain but hopefully better future (2012)
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Burma: Special Report on the Irrawaddy Delta (2009)
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ECHO assists isolated communities in North Rakhine State, Burma/Myanmar
(2012)
- Before and after Cyclone Giri hit Burma/Myanmar, 2010 (2011)
- Community resilience keeps cyclone survivors moving forward (2009)
- Saving lives with clean water (2008)
- "When dawn came, everything was destroyed" (2008)
- An egg for a special treat (2006)
- Clean water for a better life (2005)
Related information
- Press releases
- Contact: Regional offices
- Responsible unit
- Nargis cyclon crisis (2008)
- Humanitarian Aid in Burma/Myanmar (July 2011)
Other EU websites about Burma/Myanmar:
