Stylianides demonstrated determination, leadership and true commitment to assigned portfolio

The EPP Group has warmly welcomed the commitment made by the Commissioner-Designate for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, to visit Ebola-affected countries as his first official trip if appointed as European Commissioner.

"The international community underestimated the Ebola crisis and has not responded to it adequately. Stylianides has committed to visiting Western Africa as soon as he assumes duty. This is a brave commitment, and would demonstrate EU leadership since Stylianides would be the first international official to visit the Ebola-affected areas. It would also be a strong message from the European Union to countries that have suffered most from this crisis - Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea - that we want to isolate the Ebola virus, but not isolate the countries affected", said Davor Ivo Stier MEP, EPP Group Spokesman in the European Parliament's Development Committee.

Stier emphasised that the Commissioner-Designate will have a very difficult task in these times of a growing number of humanitarian crises and decreased funding which will require some tough decisions.

"The Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management portfolio is a truly demanding one because besides knowledge, it requires immediate reactions, decisiveness, communication skills, commitment, and most importantly, leadership", concluded Stier, adding that Stylianides demonstrated all of these traits at his Hearing.