EU releases €12.5 million for people in Myanmar and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

The EU has released an additional €12.5 million to address the humanitarian needs of people in Myanmar, as well as those of Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh and the broader region.

Food insecurity in refugee camps has reached alarming rates due to a massive funding gap that resulted in a reduction of food rations distributed to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The situation is expected to become untenable by the autumn if no additional funding is mobilized by the international community. The humanitarian situation is also worsening in Myanmar due to an escalation of the conflict and the consequences of Cyclone Mocha, which hit the country in May 2023.

This new EU funding aims to respond to these pressing needs with an allocation of €7 million to ensure critical food assistance in Bangladesh; €4.5 million to provide food and health assistance in Myanmar and mitigate the consequences of the current funding gap; and €1 million to respond to the increasing protection needs of displaced people and refugees throughout the region, including in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India.