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As part of their visit to the regions hit by the tidal wave, the Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action Jean-Louis Schiltz and the European Commissioner Louis Michel arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Sunday, 2 January 2005 in order to gain a first-hand impression of the needs of the victims of the natural disaster.
Since he arrived, Minister Schiltz has held talks with European and international officials to discuss the coordination and distribution of humanitarian aid among the victims.
Aid is being coordinated by the Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic of Sri Lanka in close cooperation with the United Nations Organisation and the European Union.
The devastated infrastructures, political situation and torrential rain are making it increasingly difficult to get aid to the island’s disaster-stricken areas. So far, the disaster has claimed over 28,000 lives on the island, with a further 14,000 people unaccounted for and 800,000 homeless and seeking refuge in schools and churches.
On behalf of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Mr Schiltz underlined that European aid must be coordinated under the auspices of the United Nations in close cooperation with the Sri Lankan Government. He also pointed out that, in addition to humanitarian aid, efforts to rebuild the island should begin immediately.
On Monday, 3 January the Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action will visit the severely damaged Galle region in the south-west of the island.
Mr Schiltz will return to Colombo in the afternoon in order to exchange views with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and other representatives of the Sri Lankan Government.
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