Key messages
• The Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department, ECHO, has supported South America for the last two decades, providing funds to assist the people most affected by disasters in the region: earthquakes, floods, landslides, droughts, cold waves, volcanic eruptions and epidemics.
• In South America, ECHO's assistance puts a strong focus not only on emergency aid, but also on disaster preparedness. Approximately one third of all funds have gone to projects to strengthen the response capacity of vulnerable communities and of local and national disaster management entities to cope with, and respond to emergencies.