Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-02-Speech-2-127"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2001-10-02"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20011002.6.2-127"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2001-10-02-Speech-2-1282
lpv:speaker	lp:Margrietus van den Berg2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America and Mexico (1999-10-06--2002-01-14)3 vice-chair; PES (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; AFCO (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Partij van de Arbeid (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Committee on Development and Cooperation (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (1999-09-14--2002-01-14)3
lpv:translated text	"Madam President, Afghanistan is a country with an average income per inhabitant of USD 800. This statistic makes it the poorest country in Asia and the world’s fifth poorest country. There are some five million people who rely on food programmes. Millions of people live on the Iranian side of the border, millions of others live on the Pakistani side. The borders are now closed, but it is expected that another million people will end up fleeing. The hands of the WFP and UNHCR are tied, for they cannot work in that country. There are a few other international NGOs which boast sound structures and can offer aid. Over the past few years, the Commission has granted a great deal of aid via the ECHO programme. I should like to hear Commissioner Nielson give us an extensive account on this in a moment. We know that we are extremely limited in what we can do. We, as Europe, must do more. We cannot cross the borders. We can use the structure in the country to some extent. UNHCR and WFP are in the same boat. I would actually like to echo Mr Lubbers, the High Commissioner of UNHCR who stated that ‘in fact, we also need a new coalition which can cope, as it were, with the huge humanitarian tragedy which is unfolding before our eyes’. I am consciously disassociating myself from tomorrow’s debate on security issues that is much broader still. I should now like to home in on this particular region, however. We will need to take action in Iran. We, together with UNHCR, will also need to take action in Pakistan. We will need to do this as Europe. To date, each of our Member States has failed to earmark sufficient funding. They are dallying and dithering. The European Union has taken sound initiatives in that respect, for which I should like to praise Commissioner Nielson and the Commission, but now is the time to build this coalition. For if we are not able to tackle this humanitarian issue jointly, we will be presented with the political bill in due course. You are dividing the world into two. You are on your own side but not on ours. It is not ‘them’ or ‘they’, but it is our joint responsibility to act in that region. On behalf of the Socialist Group, I hope that the Commission, in close cooperation with all those involved, the international NGOs, UNHCR, WFP, in Iran, in Pakistan, with the political initiatives which Commissioner Patten indicated a moment ago, manages to send out that signal on time: a new coalition for humanitarian aid in the region."@en1

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