The European Union is mobilising an additional €52.5 million to support new and ongoing programmes in the Sahel and Lake Chad region under the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF).
Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said: “The prosperity and security of the European Union is closely linked to that of the Sahel. The new programmes approved under the Trust Fund for Africa, worth €52.5 million, will focus on increasing resilience, employment and stability in the Sahel and Lake Chad region, while also contributing to the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Together with our partner countries we are addressing their most pressing needs and providing the necessary assistance to respond to the evolving situation, in particular for the most vulnerable.”
In Niger, two new programmes in the Western region were adopted. An €8 million programme will contribute to strengthening economic resilience in Tillabéry, addressing the needs of young people in particular. The second programme, worth €7 million, will promote sound management of natural resources, biodiversity and the resilience of agro-pastoral communities.
In Burkina Faso, a new programme amounting to €7 million will support the deployment of several units of the National Gendarmerie to secure volatile areas in the Sahel region. This will contribute to the stabilisation of the country by promoting a return to security and the presence of civil administration, public services and economic activities.
In Chad, the well-progressing ongoing programme to strengthen resilience and support local communities will be topped up with an additional €4.25 million.
In North Mali, an additional €10 million will strengthen a security and border management support programme. The aim is to set up three secure and equipped camps within the secure development and governance hubs (pôles sécurisés de développement et de gouvernance).
In Mali, a top-up of €5 million will enable quick impact and development actions to strengthen trust between the internal security forces and populations near the secure development and governance hubs.
The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) programmes are also supporting the ‘Team Europe’ global response to the coronavirus crisis, which combines resources from the EU, its Member States and financial institutions, in particular the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, focusing on some of the most vulnerable communities in the context of migration and forced displacement.
Original source: European Commission
Published on 24 June 2020
