Chad: EU allocates additional €10 million in humanitarian aid and launches new air operations to face the Sudan crisis

The European Union has allocated an additional €10 million in humanitarian aid to Chad, to help the country cope with the needs of the large number of people fleeing from the conflict in neighbouring Sudan. This new funding comes on top of the €7 million in humanitarian aid already pledged for actions in Chad at the high-level event held in Geneva last month, in response to the crisis in Sudan.

The funding will be used to respond to the most urgent needs of refugee populations living in extremely precarious situations, most of them women and children, including many pregnant and lactating women.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, made the announcement during a call with the President of the Transition, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.

The total funding mobilised for interventions in Chad since the beginning of the crisis in Sudan amounts to more than €18.6 million. This is in addition to the €39.1 million mobilised so far in 2023, in favour of the most vulnerable people in other provinces of Chad.

Further support from the EHRC

Additionally, a new flight of the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge (HAB) to N’Djamena departed. This flight, the third since the launch of the HAB at the end of May, is carrying nearly 90 tonnes of supplies for different humanitarian partners. Out of the total cargo, 52 tonnes are donated by the EU from its pre-positioned stockpile in Brindisi, which will be delivered to humanitarian partners.

This Humanitarian Air Bridge is organised in the framework of the European Humanitarian Response Capacity (EHRC), which aims at filling gaps in the humanitarian response to natural and human-made disasters. The previous two flights delivered around 180 tonnes of essential supplies for several partners, including medicines, shelter, water and sanitation equipment, school supplies and other non-food items.

Through the EHRC, the EU is also supporting several actions to facilitate the delivery of aid in the east of Chad. The EU is supporting the creation of a logistic hub in the town of Adré, close to the Sudanese border and which is one of the main entry points for people fleeing Sudan. There, together with local authorities, the EU has launched works to rehabilitate an airstrip, which will allow the arrival of small planes transporting humanitarian staff and cargo, as well as medical evacuations.

Furthermore, in partnership with the World Food Programme, the EU will support the temporary deployment of a deep-field helicopter in the eastern regions, which will provide access to hard-to-reach areas for humanitarian organizations.