EU mobilises international donors to support Venezuelan refugees and migrants and countries in the region

The European Union and the Spanish Government convened the International Donors’ Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants and countries in the region, with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

International donors pledged a total of €2.544 billion (of which €595 million in grants), with the European Union and its Member States mobilising €231.7 million in grant funding. The European Commission pledged €144.2 million for immediate humanitarian assistance, medium- and longer-term development assistance and conflict prevention interventions. The European Investment Bank announced €400 million in additional loans to the region.

High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell said: “The European Union has never forgotten the Venezuelan people. Today we mobilised the international community to deliver further assistance to millions of displaced Venezuelans and those countries in Latin America that host them. I thank international donors for their generous pledges. Today we have also been able to bring back to the limelight one of the worst displacement crisis that the world has seen in recent history.”

The funding from the European Union will focus on:

• Development support of €70 million: to promote the socio-economic integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees and supporting their host communities. Support will target the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, focusing on strengthening basic social services, particularly health; promoting economic opportunities; and shoring up food and nutrition security. This support will be distributed across the region, in particular to Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, which host the majority of refugees and migrants.
• Humanitarian assistance of €67.7 million: for immediate relief activities in the region, including border zones, to support refugees, internally displaced persons, host communities, and other vulnerable groups. Assistance will focus on health, protection, nutrition, education, water and sanitation and psychosocial support.

Over 50 stakeholders participated in the conference, along with United Nations Agencies, International Financial Institutions and representatives of national and international civil society.

Original source: European Commission
Published on 26 May 2020