JAKARTA, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- European Commission President José Manuel Barroso announced Thursday an additional package of up to $585 million in aid to help in the tsunami relief efforts.
Speaking at an emergency summit meeting in Jakarta, Barroso said this would bring the total support from the European Union (the 25 EU member states plus the European Commission) to around $2 billion.
In addition, Barroso announced a proposal for a $1.3 billion "Indian Ocean Tsunami Lending Facility," to be managed by the European Investment Bank.
The additional $585 million pledge by the European Commission includes up to $130 million in humanitarian aid to assist with immediate, short-term needs and to respond to appeals from the United Nations and the Red Cross.
The remaining sum will serve longer term reconstruction needs to repair destroyed infrastructure and to restart the livelihoods of Asia's shattered coastal communities.
