EU Boosts Humanitarian Aid with €258 Million

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Persons affected by humanitarian crises in the Greater Horn of Africa and in West and Central Africa will receive €258 million from the European Union (EU) humanitarian aid to address their urgent needs.

In the Greater Horn of Africa, €107.5 million will be used to support the most vulnerable people in the region, impacted by conflict and natural hazards, facing forced displacement, food and nutrition insecurity, and poor access to basic services.

Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, Hadja Lahbib, said: “Across Africa, complex challenges, including security threats, political instability, and socio-economic disparities are fuelling humanitarian crises.

“These crises displace entire communities and cause widespread food insecurity. The escalating effects of climate change are also intensifying vulnerabilities.”

About 70 million people in the Greater Horn of Africa are reported to be in urgent need of humanitarian aid, constituting over a fifth of people in need worldwide.

The primary causes of humanitarian needs remain conflicts and natural hazards. The conflict in Sudan constitutes a major driver of humanitarian needs both within the country and in the region.

In West and Central Africa, €150.6 million, the organisation said, will support the humanitarian response in the countries directly affected by ongoing insecurity and conflict, including West Africa’s coastal countries already impacted by the spill-over from the crisis in Central Sahel.

West and Central Africa remains a region plagued by major complex and mostly protracted humanitarian crises, where Central Sahel and the Lake Chad area constitute the epicentre of conflicts.

Funding will be used for food and livelihoods assistance, nutrition, healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene and education amongst others. This will bring the total EU humanitarian response in Africa to €750 million in 2025.

“The EU remains a reliable partner providing emergency assistance to Africa’s most vulnerable populations,” the EU said.

In addition to funding for the Greater Horn of Africa, the Commission already announced an initial €40 million allocation for humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia and €269 million for the regional response to the Sudan crisis.

The allocation for West and Central Africa comes on top of the already announced €78.5 million of humanitarian aid to address the needs of the people affected by humanitarian crises in Mauritania and Chad.