The European Union (EU) will release nearly €710 million to assist people affected by crises, natural disasters or conflicts, mainly in Africa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in New York.
“Conflicts, extreme weather events and the rising cost of living are disrupting the lives of many people around the world,” she said before the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, according to a statement.
“With this aid, we will support displaced communities across Africa, as well as the communities that host them,” she added.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the EU will allocate around €380 million in additional funding for migration-related initiatives, “focused on protecting vulnerable migrants, supporting voluntary return and reintegration,” according to the statement.
The package announced by the president of the EU Commission also includes €252 million from the emergency aid reserve to provide urgent assistance to people and communities affected by conflicts, displacement, epidemics and natural disasters.
These funds are intended in particular for populations in sub-Saharan Africa (€97 million), the Palestinian territories and Lebanon (€103 million), and Ukraine (€52 million), to help them prepare for the coming winter.
