The Federal Foreign Office supported 307 projects for humanitarian aid, humanitarian mine clearance as well as disaster prevention all over the world in 2003 to the tune of EUR 71.5 million.
Some 237 projects totalling EUR 52.5
million received support from the humanitarian aid budget. This funding
was used to look after victims of natural disasters or armed conflicts
and provide life-saving commodities such as clean drinking water, food
and medication. The aid projects were implemented by German non-governmental
organizations, United Nations subsidiary organizations and the International
Committee of the Red Cross.
As in previous years, Africa received the most funding (EUR 16.6 million) which was used to support 97 projects focusing primarily on the Great Lakes region, West Africa, the Horn of Africa and southern Africa.
In Iraq, 20 projects were supported with EUR 11.2 million, and in Afghanistan 22 projects with EUR 4.5 million. Further regional focal points included Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina with some EUR 8 million, the Palestinian territories with approx. EUR 3 million and Chechnya with some EUR 1.2 million. In South America, various projects were granted support of EUR 2.3 million. Most recently, the Federal Foreign Office has granted emergency disaster relief of EUR 800,000 for the earthquake victims in Iran. In the sphere of disaster prevention, the Federal Foreign Office contributed EUR 3 million towards financing 21 projects.
A further EUR 16 million was spent on a total of 50 projects for humanitarian mine clearance, to assist mine victims and to increase awareness of the dangers of mines.
The Federal Government's humanitarian aid is granted regardless of race, religion, nationality, political orientation or similar criteria. No political conditions are attached and its sole aim is to help those in need.