The Commission has allocated €21.5 million in additional humanitarian funding to the Horn of Africa to help the region fight off what is rapidly becoming its worst drought in decades, already affecting millions of people.
This new EU humanitarian funding will ensure life-saving operations in the most affected areas of Somalia and of the Arid and Semi-Arid lands in Kenya, addressing the urgent needs of local populations, while seeking to enable resilience gains against future shocks.
Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič, said: “The EU is among the first donors to respond to the catastrophic drought situation affecting the Horn of Africa, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of more than 26 million people. This additional funding will scale up emergency water provision as well as cash, food assistance, nutrition, health services, and emergency livelihood support for those most vulnerable.”
Out of the total amount, €18.5 million will be allocated to Somalia and €3 million to Kenya. Populations in the worst drought-affected areas (southern and central Somalia and eastern and northern Kenya) depend on seasonal rains to sustain themselves and their livelihoods. Currently, 6 million people struggle to secure water and food for their survival, and acute malnutrition, especially among children under five years old, is rampant.
