PRESS RELEASE: EU provides €500 000 to strengthen disaster preparedness capacities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

The European Union is allocating €500,000 (close to 700 million South Korean Won) in humanitarian aid funding to strengthen people’s resilience to better cope in the event of natural disasters in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The aid will benefit more than 100,000 people in the disaster-prone provinces of Kangwon, North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, North Pyongan and South Pyongan.

“Recurring natural hazards pose a serious threat to the lives, livelihoods and resilience of the people in DPRK, the majority of whom are already highly vulnerable and in need of humanitarian assistance,” said Taheeni Thammannagoda, who oversees EU humanitarian programs in Asia and the Pacific. “It is of paramount importance to ensure those most in need, who sadly often bear the brunt of a disaster, are equipped with skills and tools to better prepare themselves for future hazards.”

Out of the total funding, €250,000 will support Concern Worldwide in enhancing the resilience of at-risk communities. The action will also strengthen the capacities of local responders and institutions to respond to future hazards through the provision of emergency preparedness kits as well as training on disaster preparedness, early warning and first aid. The remainder of €250,000 will support the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in mitigating the impact of natural hazards on agricultural production and livelihoods of people in rural areas.

The EU funding is being made available via the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) through its Small Scale Response mechanism.

Background

DPRK is exposed to recurrent extreme weather conditions such as typhoons, floods and droughts, causing large scale destruction to agricultural lands and essential infrastructures. With over 10 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, such climate events have a devasting impact on peoples’ lives. 

In 2020 alone, four powerful typhoons—Francisco, Bavi, Maysak and Haishen—battered the country in quick successions between August and September, rendering thousands of people homeless and submerging vast areas of arable land in Kangwon, North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, North Pyongan and South Pyongan. Three of the affected provinces are considered the breadbasket of DPRK and account for more than half of the country’s rice and crop production. 

ECHO’s Small Scale Response fund is a global mechanism which allows for rapid funding for humanitarian aid in countries affected by natural and man-made disasters.

For further information, please contact:

Peter Biro, Regional Information Officer for Asia and the Pacific, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO): peter.biro@echofield.eu