The European Union will provide humanitarian assistance worth US$5.7 million to Cambodia

over the next 12 months, according to an EU press release.

The aid will be channelled through the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO)

and will fund activities of NGOs in areas of health care, assistance to people affected

by conflict, emergency aid to refugees and demining.

Funds will be directed to vulnerable sections of the Cambodian population, including

communities in former Khmer Rouge-held zones. Specific target groups include internally

displaced people, returnees, children under 15, women, disabled people, isolated

communities, and landmine or epidemic victims.

One project well-underway with support from ECHO is the development of a new airport

in Anlong Veng which when completed in mid-July will enable the delivery of much

needed medical supplies to help combat an on-going malaria epidemic.

Working in conjunction with Medecins Sans Front-ieres, a new clinic and hospital

has been established in the former Khmer Rouge stronghold.

Since February of this year, MSF staff have diagnosed 643 cases of malaria with 11

fatalities from the disease in April and May alone.