The European Commission approved a new funding decision worth €3 million in order to provide water purification kits, plastic sheeting, temporary shelters and other emergency equipment to Haiti. Special attention will be paid to the provision of clean water and adequate sanitation to avoid epidemics of cholera.

The European Commission is allocating €3 million in assistance to Haiti to bring relief to the people most affected by tropical storm Isaac and to boost their resilience to future storms as the hurricane season begins in one of the world's most disaster-prone regions. The funding will be addressed to provide water purification kits, plastic sheeting, temporary shelters and other emergency equipment. The Commission also announced that special attention will be paid to the provision of clean water and adequate sanitation to avoid epidemics of cholera. In 2011, €3 million more were allocated by the Commission to Haiti.

100,000 people were affected by the heavy rains and strong winds caused by tropical cyclone Isaac that hit Haiti during the night of 24 August, according to preliminary figures. The storm carried particularly high risks for this poor country where, two and a half years after the 7.0 earthquake, approximately 400,000 people continue to live in camps and are vulnerable to heavy rains, flooding and mud-slides.

For 2012, the Commission has set aside €15.25 million in humanitarian aid for Haiti. Its assistance focuses on helping cope with displacement, responding to the cholera epidemics and reducing the risk of disasters. The funds allocated from 2010, after the 7.0 earthquake on January 12th, helped provide hundreds of thousands of affected people with shelter, safe drinking water, food and essentials such as blankets, kitchen utensils and hygiene. About 5 million people have benefited from these projects.