The European Commission has set aside €1.9 billion for global humanitarian aid in 2026, the Commission announced. The funding comes as needs reach record levels, with 239 million people worldwide requiring assistance and many major donors reducing their support. Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, is taking this message to the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she will push for more private sector involvement and innovative financing to bridge the widening humanitarian funding gap.
The EU’s humanitarian aid will continue to provide emergency food, shelter, healthcare, protection for vulnerable groups, and education in crisis zones. The budget includes €557 million for West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, and the Horn of Africa—regions hit hard by conflict and climate shocks. Another €448 million is allocated for the Middle East, including Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon.
€145 million will go to support Ukraine as the war enters its fourth year, with an additional €8 million set aside for Moldova. Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran will receive €126 million, while €95 million is allocated for Central and South America and the Caribbean, where mounting crises are driven by conflict, inequality, and climate change. Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including Myanmar and Bangladesh, will benefit from €73 million, and North Africa will receive €14.6 million. More than €415 million will be reserved for sudden-onset emergencies and maintaining global supply chains.
“The European Union’s commitment to principled humanitarian action remains firm, even as international solidarity falters,” said Lahbib ahead of her trip to Davos. “But we also need fresh ideas and new partnerships to deliver aid faster and more effectively to those who need it most.”
In Davos, the Commissioner will co-host a high-level discussion on “New Alliances in Aid and Development,” focusing on mobilizing private sector innovation and finance for humanitarian response. The initiative aims to encourage new forms of collaboration that can make aid more sustainable in the face of growing global crises.
