Date of release : 03-01-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : Extraordinary meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council

The Luxembourg Presidency has called an extraordinary meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on the afternoon of 7 January 2005 to address the consequences of the tidal wave in Asia.

The meeting will be chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and current President of the Council of the European Union, Jean Asselborn. The ministers for foreign affairs, the ministers for development cooperation and the ministers of health of the European Union will take part in the meeting.

The Council will hear a report from the Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Jean-Louis Schiltz, and the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, who have travelled to the region hit by the tidal wave of 26 December 2004.

The ministers will prepare the donor's conference due to take place in Geneva on 11 January 2005 under the auspices of the United Nations. On the basis of a report by the Commission and information provided by UN representatives, the ministers will assess the emergency relief efforts undertaken by the EU and the Member States. They will also consider the mid- and long-term action of the EU in close cooperation with international organisations.

The needs of the affected countries, particularly in terms of health risks, will be assessed on the basis of a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO).