The European Union (EU) recently announced that it allocated €1.9 billion ($1.96 billion) for humanitarian aid in its 2025 initial budget. With more than 300 million people estimated to need humanitarian assistance this year, the EU continues to remain a leading global humanitarian aid donor.
The European Commission has been providing humanitarian aid since 1992 in over 110 countries, reaching millions of people across the globe each year. It delivers this assistance through humanitarian partner organizations such as European humanitarian non-governmental organizations, international organizations, including UN agencies), and specialized agencies in the Member States.
“The EU is upholding its commitment to help those most in need as a leading humanitarian aid donor. Our humanitarian aid funding will support our partners on the ground – the UN family, the Red Cross/Red Crescent family, international and local government and non-governmental organizations – to provide life-saving, emergency assistance where needed,” stated Hadja Lahbib, commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management.
Regional allocations
The EU allocated €375 million in humanitarian aid to the wider Middle East and €95 million to North Africa and Yemen. For Ukraine, the initial allocation is €140 million. An additional €8 million is allocated to humanitarian projects in neighboring Moldova.
For Africa, the EU allocated a total of €510 million to support vulnerable people across the continent. The EU will channel the humanitarian aid in West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin, North-West Nigeria, the Central Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Greater Horn of Africa.
Meanwhile, it allocated an initial €113 million to address the domestic and regional impact of the crisis in Venezuela, the needs of the most vulnerable people affected by the armed conflicts in Colombia, the complex crisis in Haiti and the violence in Central America, Mexico and Ecuador.
In Asia, the EU allocated around €182 million to humanitarian assistance, in particular for the Myanmar crisis and its impact in Bangladesh, as well as for the crisis in Afghanistan. Moreover, €35 million will go to the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region as well as €5 million to the southern Caucasus and Central Asia.
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Emergency funding
The EU has also set additional emergency funding in its budget which includes more than €295 million for worldwide actions, responding to sudden-onset emergencies and humanitarian crises that may arise throughout the year. In addition, it allocated over €110 million to horizontal activities, including innovative projects and policy initiatives.
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