The European Commission has announced the allocation of €282 million in EU humanitarian aid to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people in Chad, Sudan and neighbouring countries, SIR (Servizio Informazione Religiosa) reported.
The humanitarian initiatives include financial assistance, health and nutrition services, water and sanitation, housing assistance, protection and education.
In Chad, €74.5 million will support the response to the forced displacement crisis in Lake Chad region, as well as the influx of Sudanese refugees. In Sudan, €160 million will support people in regions severely affected by conflict, with a focus on areas facing famine and severe food insecurity and hosting large forcibly displaced groups. The assistance includes addressing food insecurity through cash assistance, health and nutrition services, water and sanitation, shelter, protection and education.
An additional €48 million will support refugees, returnees and host communities in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya to respond to the consequences of the spillover of the Sudanese crisis into neighbouring countries, where almost 4 million people have already sought refuge.
Chad is facing overlapping natural and man-made humanitarian crises, with 7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2025. Even before the outbreak of the armed conflict in Sudan in April 2023, Chad hosted one of the largest refugee populations in the region. With more than 15 million forcibly displaced people, the Sudanese crisis is the largest displacement crisis in the world, significantly affecting neighbouring countries.