20. 05. 2020. 19:20   >>  19:21 0

HUMANITARIAN AID

EC: An additional 50 million for the most vulnerable

The European Commission has announced it will allocate an additional EUR 50million in humanitarian aid to deal with the "huge increase in humanitarian needs" due to the global coronavirus pandemic. The new funding is the result of numerous calls from humanitarian organizations, including a global UN call, the EC said.

The European Commissioner for Crisis ManagementJanezLenarcic said that it is in the common interest that all countries in the world have protection, and that humanitarian workers are provided with unhindered access in order to save lives.

"The coronavirus pandemic is causing a humanitarian crisis of unimaginable proportions in some countries that are the weakest in the world. It endangers food security in countries where the public health systemswere weak even before the outbreak of the new crisis," saidLenarcic.

The new funding will help those facing major humanitarian crises, especially in the Sahel region, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Great African Lakes region, West Africa, Syria, Yemen, Palestine and Venezuela, as well as the Rohingya community. It will provide access to health services, protective equipment, drinking water.