The European Commission has provided €12.5 million in humanitarian aid to address the worsening situation in the Lake Chad region.
The latest additional emergency assistance will help vulnerable populations in the region. A total of €9 million will be provided to support people in Nigeria, €2 million in Cameroon and €1.5 million in Niger.
Previously the EU had allocated €58 million to the Lake Chad Basin crisis. Violence by the terrorist group Boko Haram from northern Nigeria has severely destabilised the Lake Chad region, causing the displacement of millions of people.
“When travelling to the region last month, I witnessed the plight of people in the Lake Chad Basin. Millions have been displaced and the number of those struggling to find food is increasingly alarming. The situation in Nigeria is especially dramatic. As always, children are hit the hardest and we must urgently intervene to stop their suffering. This additional EU funding will focus on emergency assistance, primarily in the areas of food and nutrition, water and sanitation, and health. All efforts should be made to ensure that humanitarian organisations can safely reach those who need urgent help,” said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.
Nigeria is considered the worst hit country by the regional humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, over seven million Nigerians have been affected by the conflict in the north-east of the country alone – including over two million displaced who rely on humanitarian assistance to survive.
Let’s hope this aid will be used properly to meet the increasing humanitarian needs of the people in the Lake Chad region.
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