📋 Tender Overview
The European Union is allocating €100,000 (over 105 000 USD) to drought preparedness activities in Micronesia to mitigate the impacts of a severe El Niño-induced drought that is anticipated to hit the archipelago nation in the coming weeks. The aid will benefit over 6,500 people in drought-prone localities across the country’s four states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap.
This EU funding supports the Micronesia Red Cross Society (MRCS) in strengthening its drought preparedness efforts. This includes procuring and pre-positioning of relief items, ensuring access to safe drinking water, good hygiene practices, and information on health awareness. The aid will also contribute to conducting assessments and implementing a community drought readiness plan for the next four months.
The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
A major dry spell caused by the climatic phenomenon known as El Niño is foreseen to strike Micronesia from October, reaching its peak in January 2024 and persisting until at least June. During this period, the amount of rainfall in the country is expected to be 50-60 per cent lower than average. This could potentially trigger severe drought conditions in the country where the majority of the populations are heavily reliant on rainfall to meet their water needs.
