EU boosts humanitarian aid in Bangladesh, Myanmar and for the Rohingya refugee crisis

The Commission has allocated €76 million in EU humanitarian aid to address the needs of people affected by the main crises in South and Southeast Asia. Out of this amount, €32.3 million will support Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh.

A further €33 million will support the population affected by the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. The remaining €10.8 million will support refugees and host communities in nearby countries in the region, as well as to strengthen disaster preparedness.

Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, is in Bangladesh today, where she will visit Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and meet with humanitarian partners and national authorities.

In Bangladesh, the €32.3 million will support the over one million Rohingya refugees living in the country, mostly in Cox’s Bazar, as well as the host communities.

Funding will be used for:

• food assistance and nutrition;
• maintenance of the camps’ shelters and other facilities;
• provision of essential services such as healthcare, emergency education, and access to water and sanitation.

In Myanmar, the €33 million allocated this year will be used for:

• food assistance and emergency nutrition, given the high levels of food insecurity;
• shelter for the many people displaced;
• access to clean water and sanitation;
• other basic services such as healthcare and emergency education;
• mine risk education and assistance for victims of landmines;
• disaster preparedness in the country, as it is highly prone to cyclones and floods.

See also: Fact Chronicles | Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar

Given the regional spillover of Myanmar’s crisis, an additional allocation of €3.5 million will provide life-saving aid to refugees and host communities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

€6 million will be allocated to the Philippines for both disaster preparedness measures as well as for the protracted impact of conflict in the Mindanao region. Regional support of €1.3 million will also be provided for disaster preparedness across Southeast Asia. All EU humanitarian funding is channelled via partner organisations such as international NGOs and UN agencies.