Earthquake in Chile: EU crisis center on alert
(BRUSSELS2) After the earthquake in Chile and the additional risks of a tsunami along the entire Pacific coast of America, the European Commission's crisis center has been placed on alert, confirmed la European Commissioner for Humanitarian Action and Crisis Response (see my first tweet this morning). " I followed the news closely throughout the night about the earthquake in Chile. First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the families of the victims. I immediately activated the Crisis Center of the European Civil Protection Mechanism (MIC). I have also requested the immediate mobilization of ECHO humanitarian experts to be ready to carry out needs assessment missions if necessary. " said Kristalina Georgieva. " The MIC continues to monitor the situation and the Commission stands ready to respond to any request for assistance that may come from the Chilean authorities and to coordinate European efforts if necessary. She added.
The European Commission has a delegation in Santiago de Chile which is monitoring the situation closely with the crisis center established in Brussels (MIC and ECHO). While the European Commission's Humanitarian Office (ECHO) has regional offices in Managua as well as Bogota and Quito.
Comment: One can notice the rapid public reaction of the new commissioner Georgieva,who is now traveling to Haiti for a five-day field visit. A double "baptism of fire", after the entry into office, of the new European Commission, on February 19. The lesson of Haiti seems to have carried. An identical device had, well, been set up in Haiti; but the
High Representative, Catherine Ashton, had then taken 48 hours to react publicly and appeared in tow of the events. The new Bulgarian commissioner who was "parachuted" at the last minute into the European Commission, following the defection of the first commissioner-designate Jeleva, thus confirms the first general positive impression, made after his hearing in the European Parliament. " She got it all figured out » told me several experts of the file. " We won on the exchange explained MEPs, whose opinions agreed. In view of the first steps of the new commissioner, we can only agree.