Austria's Aid to Haiti

UNCLAS VIENNA 000069 SIPDIS STATE FOR HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE (ROSSER),WHA/FO (WILLIAMS), USAID FOR AID/A (O'NEILL),DCHA/OFDA, UNAID/OFDA, EUR/EX, EUR/NB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PREL PREF HA AU SUBJECT: Austria's Aid to Haiti REF: STATE 4854 ¶1. Austria's total (public and private) aid to Haiti is currently about 2.5 million Euros and is likely to increase. All aid is being channeled through the UN, EU and ICRC; so far no response has been requested from USG. ¶2. Foreign Minister Spindelegger announced that the GoA is contributing 600,000 Euros in emergency aid to Haiti -- with the money going to the UN's emergency response fund and the International Red Cross. The Interior Ministry offered 200,000 Euros in relief supplies (specifically 400 family tents and 2 two-ton medical kits) to the EU; these supplies will be shipped once they are approved by the EU. Last week, the GoA offered 2 urban rescue teams and 1 communications team, but the EU did not take up this offer. In addition to these federal efforts, the state government of Vienna is contributing 500,000 Euros to local charities/NGOs (half for immediate emergency assistance and half for Haiti's long-term reconstruction). ¶3. On January 19, the press reported the following private contributions to Austrian NGOs for Haitian relief: 290,000 Euros to Austria's Doctors without Borders, and 1,000,000 Euros to "Nachbar-in-Not" (Neighbors-at-Need),the umbrella organization for Austrian aid groups. The Austrian Red Cross is sending 6 experts& medics with 20 tons of relief supplies and a water purification unit. EACHO