EU announces ov€22 mln assistance for Ethiopia to respond to El Niño impact.
Four new actions worth 66.5 million Euros will be funded under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa to address the destructive impacts of the El Niño phenomenon in the Horn of Africa region, such as floods and droughts.
This package of development assistance focuses on the four countries that are most severely hit by El Niño and that are experiencing food insecurity: Ethiopia (€22.5 million), Somalia (€8 million), South Sudan (€28 million) and Sudan (€8 million).
Neven Mimica, Commissioner responsible for International Cooperation and Development, said: “When people are at risk of starvation, we have to mobilize our means – and have to do it fast. With these four actions we are providing an immediate response in the Horn of Africa. This clearly demonstrates the value of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa as a highly swift and responsive tool in critical situations.”
To maximise the impact of EU action and to support a broader development response in the region, this package will be channelled through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.
The Trust Fund, which aims at tackling instability and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, is already delivering actions worth 370 million Euros in the Horn of Africa region.
The four resilience-oriented projects will contribute to peace-building and economic development; empowering vulnerable groups; developing more efficient water management systems and resilient agricultural practices, creating income generating; strengthening capacity of local institutions for service delivery, and support social networks in resolving community conflicts in a peaceful manner.
