EU funds another 4,000 houses in N-E

The European Union (EU) and UN-Habitat signed an agreement recently to assist 4,000 families in the North and the East to rebuild permanent houses in their villages of origin.

The commitment builds on the success of past and ongoing EU-funded housing programs undertaken in close co-operation with the Government implementing partners and other local stakeholders.

On the occasion of the agreement, EU Ambassador Bernard Savage said: "I am extremely pleased with the signature of this new agreement which constitutes the fourth major housing reconstruction program funded by the EU since 2006. By 2015, the EU will have financially assisted 20,000 families in the North and the East to rebuild their houses, many of whom had been displaced for over a decade.

The EU's total contribution to build houses will amount to approximate 7.5 billion (EUR 50 million). These grants add up to ongoing EU-funded programs (approximately Rs. 19 billion or EUR 120 million) supporting livelihoods and socio-economic development in selected districts.

By moving from humanitarian assistance to long-term sustainable development projects, the EU will have significantly helped Sri Lanka achieve its main development targets by 2016".

The new program will continue till mid-2015. The EU contribution of Rs. 1.9 billion (EUR 12 million) will be complemented with funds from the Swiss development Co-operation (SDC) and the Australian Aid (AusAid).

Construction work will continue on the basis of the 'Owner-Driven Housing Reconstruction" (ODHR) where the owners are granted funds and with the technical help of UN-Habitat and SDC which contributes its labour, time and resources to ensure the success and completion of the process. Construction standards and the selection of beneficiaries will also take place on the basis of the government's former housing program, NEHRP (North East Housing Reconstruction Program) which was implemented by the World Bank and co-funded by the EU under the first EU housing program. Priority will continue to be given to households most in need.