ECHO to End Humanitarian Aid to Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Delta by May

The European Commission’s humanitarian aid department, or ECHO, will conclude on May 31 its engagement in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Delta, which was devastated by a strong cyclone in May 2008, IRIN reports.

ECHO decided to start winding down its humanitarian assistance to the region in 2009 following the decrease of acute humanitarian needs there, said Christophe Reltien, the head of the EU’s office in Myanmar. Reltien added that the European Union is transitioning from humanitarian relief to recovery and development aid.

ECHO provided USD39 million euros (USD52.5 million) worth of emergency assistance to the region from 2008 to 2010, IRIN notes.