ITALY: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE NARGIS

UNCLAS ROME 000585 SIPDIS EAP/MLS AARON COPE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL SUBJECT: ITALY: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE NARGIS REF: SECSTATE 48651 1.(U) Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Humanitarian Assistance Director Mainardo Benardelli informed Econoff that Italy helped arrange logistics for the World Food Program (WFP) flight that landed in Burma on May 8. An official from the Italian MFA was on board the flight which contained 500,000 euros worth of Italian supplies including water sanitation kits and high energy biscuits. Currently, Italy has pledged a total of 2.4 million euros for Cyclone Nargis relief. 2.(U) Italy claims it was the first EU nation to pledge assistance to Cyclone Nargis disaster relief efforts with 123,000 euros pledged to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Organization. The remaining assistance will be disbursed as follows: 500,000 euros to the WFP; 500,000 euros the UN Fund for Humanitarian Coordination; and 300,000 for emergency sanitation efforts. The GOI is also prepared to donate 420,000 euros in emergency assistance for health care. Aside from disaster relief efforts, Italy plans to disburse 840,000 euros to the WHO for health care programs in Burma in ¶2008. SPOGLI