The European Union has pledged to release more than 710 million euros ($810m) to help people affected by crises, natural disasters or conflicts worldwide, particularly in Africa.
– European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement in a post on her X account on Saturday, following the cancellation of New York’s Global Citizen Festival, where she was due to speak.
– “Conflicts, extreme weather events and rising living costs are throwing the lives of many people around the world into disarray,” she said in a video.
– The aid “will support displaced communities across Africa, as well as the communities that host them”, von der Leyen said.
– According to a European Commission press release on Saturday, the package allocates 380 million euros ($430m) to fund measures related to migration in sub-Saharan Africa, “focused on the protection of vulnerable migrants, support for voluntary return and reintegration”.
– A total of 97 million euros ($110m) is earmarked for sub-Saharan Africa to respond to worsening humanitarian needs caused by conflict, food insecurity, malnutrition and climate shocks across several regions.
– The funding “will also reinforce the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries”, the press statement said.
– A further 7.5 million euros ($8.5m) will be deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the response to the Ebola crisis and for future preparedness, and 10 million euros ($11.5m) to “support ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability in the Great Lakes region“, which is wracked by armed conflict, humanitarian crises and environmental changes.
– The Palestinian territories and Lebanon will receive 103 million euros ($117m) to support vulnerable populations, while Ukraine will get 52 million euros ($59m) for humanitarian assistance and emergency preparedness.
– The European Commission also announced three new Global Gateway investments at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York last week.
– The package included an EU guarantee designed to mobilise private investment in health and nutrition businesses in sub-Saharan Africa, an EU-backed European Investment Bank loan to expand vaccine and biological medicines production in Colombia, and 60 million euros ($68m) to strengthen primary healthcare in Ethiopia.
– The European Commission said it had allocated 2.5 million euros ($3m) for humanitarian aid since the start of the year.