Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) (Panafrican
News Agency, March 10, 2000) - The OAU Friday donated 200,000 US dollars
to Madagascar which has been battered by two successive cyclones in the
past two weeks, claiming many lives and starting a cholera epidemic on
the island nation.
Handing over the check to Madagascar's
foreign minister Lila Ratsifandrihamanana, OAU Secretary General Salim
Ahmed Salim said the money was intended to assist the ongoing efforts of
the government to provide relief to the victims.
He said it was particularly agonising to witness "the immense havoc and suffering" caused by Cyclone Gloria in Madagascar, coming in the wake of the recent tragedy caused by Cyclone Elaine, torrential rains and floods in southern Africa.
Salim launched a strong appeal on the occasion to all member states and the donor community "to urgently provide all necessary assistance" to Madagascar to contain the effects of the disaster and the resultant cholera epidemic.
"This latest natural disaster, more than anything else, underscores the appeal I made to the current session of the OAU council of ministers, for African countries and the OAU to put in place necessary arrangements to ensure better emergency preparedness and a more effective co- ordination in disaster management on the continent," Salim said.
He added that the OAU general secretariat will work more closely with all members states, the United Nations and its agencies "to address this problem as a matter of priority."
Copyright 1900 Panafrican News Agency. Distributed via Africa News Online.
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