The European Union plans to allocate 1.9 billion euros of taxpayers’ money for so-called “humanitarian aid” this year, Brussels Signal reports.
According to the allocation published on January 16, most of the money is earmarked for Africa, with large tranches also going to the Middle East and Ukraine. 295 million euros are earmarked for so-called “worldwide action” and another 110 million euros for “horizontal action.”
Justifying the giveaway, Equality Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said the funds were needed in a world where so many people suffer outside the European Union.
“With more than 300 million people needing humanitarian assistance in 2025, the EU is upholding its commitment to help those most in need as a leading humanitarian aid donor,” she said.
The commissioner, a Belgian politician, is known for her embarrassing speech at the United Nations last year, when she confused the entire room by reading the wrong speech.
“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 organisations – to provide life-saving, emergency assistance where needed.”
“At the same time, I reiterate my call for safe and unimpeded access to people in need: funding is not enough – we need to be able to reach the most vulnerable. And for this, there is an urgent need for all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law,” she added.
According to the Commission, €470 million is earmarked for the Middle East and North Africa, with a particular focus on helping Gaza and Yemen.
The rest of the African continent will receive a further €510 million in aid, with the funds going to “West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, north-west Nigeria, Central Africa, the Great Lakes region and the Greater Horn of Africa.”
Central and South America will receive €113m, with communist Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico and Venezuela being the main beneficiaries.
Asia is allocated €182m, with Myanmar, Afghanistan and Bangladesh the main beneficiaries.
Ukraine will receive €140m of aid from this particular tranche of the fund, while another €8m will be allocated to another EU candidate country, Moldova.
