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Government spent, tagged US$87.8m on tsunami relief

The government has spent or committed US$87.8 million on relief aid for countries affected by the tsunami disaster, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) said yesterday.

The government announced on Jan. 2 that it would offer US$50 million in humanitarian aid to South and Southeast Asian countries devastated by the magnitude-9 earthquake on Dec. 26 off the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the subsequent tsunami.

Lu said the government has spent or committed a total of US$87.8 million on various post-tsunami relief projects that can be grouped into three categories -- food aid, medical assistance and community reconstruction.

With the extent of the devastation in various countries becoming clearer, Lu said, the affected countries have adjusted their post-disaster rehabilitation projects, and donor countries have also adjusted their aid projects in line with the recipient countries' needs.

Lu said all short-term aid projects, such as dispatching medical service missions and disinfection missions, as well as cooperation with private groups in delivering relief goods, have been completed.

For mid- and long-term aid projects, Lu said, the Department of Health would be responsible for assisting recipient countries in setting up community medical-service centers.
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