EU Boosts 2019 Humanitarian Budget To Record $1.82Bln - Press Release

The European Union has increased its initial annual humanitarian budget to 1.6 billion euros ($1.82 billion) for 2019, the highest it has ever been, amid the exacerbation of humanitarian crises across the globe, the European Commission said in a press release on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2019) The European Union has increased its initial annual humanitarian budget to 1.6 billion Euros ($1.82 billion) for 2019, the highest it has ever been, amid the exacerbation of humanitarian crises across the globe, the European Commission said in a press release on Wednesday.

"As more and more people face humanitarian crises worldwide, the EU [European Union] has adopted its highest ever initial annual humanitarian budget of 1.6 billion for 2019. From long-lasting conflicts in the middle East and Africa, to the growing impact of climate change worldwide, humanitarian crises are worsening and conflict threatens aid delivery to those most in need," the press release read.

The "biggest bulk" of the budget will be used to tackle crises in Syria, Yemen, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia and Afghanistan. Among other matters, the European Union will focus on supporting the persecuted Rohingya people in Myanmar and Bangladesh, providing assistance to those suffering due to the Ukrainian conflict and helping "vulnerable communities" to prepare for climatic shocks.

"Humanitarian aid alone cannot solve all problems but we must do everything in our power to help the most vulnerable ... We must also think about the impact of these many crises on children, on the next generation. That's why a record 10% of the new budget, 10 times more than in 2015, is dedicated to education in emergencies, so we can give children the tools to build a better future," Christos Stylianides, the EU commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, was quoted as saying in the press release.

The European Union implements its humanitarian programs via partner organizations, including UN agencies, non-governmental organizations as well as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.