Luxembourg's development cooperation - Annual report 2013

2013 was primarily marked by the prolonged and complex crises in Syria, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo, by the new armed conflicts in the Central African Republic and by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

During 2013, the Ministry made contributions totalling 3 000 000 euros to different Luxembourg and international organisations within the context of the Mali crisis. These funds were intended for emergency projects for the populations affected inside the country, but also for the over half a million Malian refugees that fled to the neighbouring countries (Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso).

In response to the terrible situation in Syria, described by Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as the worst humanitarian problem since the genocide in Rwanda, the Ministry allocated funds over and above the pledge donation of 3 000 000 euros made at the beginning of the year, bringing Luxembourg’s contribution in 2013 to 5 629 358.24 euros. These funds made it possible for the humanitarian partners to implement projects to help the affected population on Syrian territory and to help the 3 million Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries (Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey).

In 2013, the Ministry increased its support to the Democratic Republic of Congo, in response to the needs of the population afflicted by violent conflicts. The 1 297 500 euros disbursed for this purpose has funded emergency projects in the sectors of medical, agricultural, education and physical assistance to internally displaced people in the north and east of the country. A portion of this money, namely 250 000 euros, was allocated to the multi-donor fund (DRC Pooled Fund) managed by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

On 8 November 2013, the category 5 Typhoon Haiyan, considered to be the most powerful storm ever recorded, hit the Philippines and caused massive destruction in 36 provinces. The most severely affected regions, including the archipelago of Visayas and Leyte, also have the highest levels of poverty and malnutrition. Haiyan killed several thousand people and affected over 10 million, amounting to nearly a tenth of the total population. In the face of this extreme emergency, Luxembourg development cooperation responded by deploying its ‘emergency.lu’ telecommunication equipment (see box) and by contributing 650 234 euros to its humanitarian partners’ emergency projects (food, water, shelter, medical care and non-food assistance).

The Ministry also supported emergency aid projects in the following countries: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Republic of Congo, India, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Swaziland, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Chad, Thailand, Vietnam and Yemen.