Eurocommissaris Georgieva (humanitaire hulp) gaat naar Kirgizië om hulp te overzien (en)

On July 1st Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva, will travel to Kyrgyzstan. During the two day visit the Commissioner will discuss the humanitarian situation with the Kyrgyz authorities and will take the opportunity to travel to the Osh region, which was the area most severely affected by recent ethnic clashes.

Before her departure for Bishkek Commissioner Georgieva stated: “I am relieved that the situation in Kyrgyzstan has calmed down and that the Constitutional Referendum on 27 June was conducted in a peaceful manner. Most of the refugees have now returned to Kyrgyzstan but the situation of the internally displaced persons remains fragile. It is vital to ensure that they can safely return to their home towns and receive the necessary support to restore their livelihoods and to overcome the trauma induced by the violence of the past weeks. I want to make sure that our funding is used in the most effective manner and is reaching the people that are in most need, which is why I will be travelling to the Osh region." The Commissioner added: "We reacted swiftly and allocated €5 million to provide emergency medical support, food, water, shelter, non-food items, protection and psychosocial assistance for persons affected by this crisis and thus showing the EU's solidarity with the victims."

Background

On Friday July 2nd Mrs Georgieva will hold official meetings with the President of the provisional government Roza Otunbayeva, the Coordinator of the Interim Government on Social Issues, Public Relations and Media Elmira Ibraimova and the acting Minister for Health Damira Niyazalyeva.

On Saturday 3rd of July, Commissioner Georgieva will travel to the Osh region, where she will visit several assistance projects and will hold coordination meetings with NGO's and other humanitarian partners.

A press conference is scheduled in Bishkek on Friday 2nd July but the timing is still to be confirmed.

Pictures and video footage will be made available via Europe by Satellite.

For further information on ECHO: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm