EU Allocates $195Mln In Humanitarian Aid To West, Central Africa In 2023 - Commission

The European Union has allocated 181.5 million euros ($195 million) in humanitarian aid for countries of West and Central Africa so far in 2023 to help the region, which is facing a number of serious challenges, the EU Commission said Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th February, 2023) The European Union has allocated 181.5 million Euros ($195 million) in humanitarian aid for countries of West and Central Africa so far in 2023 to help the region, which is facing a number of serious challenges, the EU Commission said Monday.

"The EU has allocated 181.5 million this year for humanitarian aid in West and Central Africa, as this region continues to face protracted crises driven by conflict and worsened by other factors such as climate change and the global spike in food prices," the EU Commission said in a statement released after a ministerial meeting between representatives of the EU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Brussels.

The recipient countries include Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, the Central African Republic (CAR), Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

"Last year, over 38 million people needed assistance in West and Central Africa, where the security situation remains highly concerning ... While sustainable solutions need to be found, the newly announced EU funding will help to address the growing humanitarian needs across the region, reflecting the EU's solidarity with those most vulnerable," EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said in the statement.

The EU funds will focus on providing life-saving assistance to populations displaced by regional conflicts and host communities, supporting victims of human right violations, providing food aid and treatment for severe acute malnutrition in children under the age of five, providing medical assistance to the population and improving access to safe water and sanitation, supporting education for children who have been displaced or cannot attend school, as well as enhancing natural disaster preparedness, the statement read.

West and Central Africa, one of the world's poorest regions, is plagued by humanitarian crises as a result of regional conflicts, terrorism, natural disasters, recurrent epidemics and food insecurity. The region is currently experiencing an unprecedented food crisis, with food prices rising by an average of 40-60% over the past year, including due to the effects of climate change. Chad and the car are the most climate-vulnerable countries in this region.

In 2022, the EU provided West and Central Africa with about 175 million euros for humanitarian initiatives in the region.