EU Allocates Emergency Humanitarian Aid for Floods in Horn of Africa

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The European Union has allocated additional humanitarian aid funding of €3.5 million to assist people affected by devastating floods in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

In Somalia, the EU says €2 million will support the provision of emergency aid to the people most affected by the current floods, especially along the Juba River basin.

“This additional funding comes on top of the €5.5 million recently allocated to the country in humanitarian assistance to those most affected by the El Niño-related floods and conflict- forced displacement,” a statement by the EU reads.

The EU also says it is launching a helicopter deployment for hard-to-reach areas in Somalia via the European Humanitarian Response Capacity which is expected to start operations in December 2023 and last for two months.

In Ethiopia, the EU says it has allocated €1 million which will support humanitarian partners already present in the flood-affected areas which will be implemented through multi-purpose cash transfers and the distribution of shelter and essential items, including for water purification and treatment.

“This funding is in addition to the immediate assistance already being provided on the ground in the Somali, Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regions (SNNPR) with €2.3 million through the EU’s Emergency Response Mechanism, already engaged in preparedness actions before the floods hit. This brings total EU funding in response to the recent and ongoing floods in the country to €3.3 million.”

In Kenya, for which €500,000 is allocated, heavy rainfall and landslides have particularly affected areas previously hit by a severe drought, which is mainly the northeast part of the country.

“Kenya has also had a recent cholera outbreak. In addition to this funding, €200,000 have been allocated to the Kenya Red Cross Society to support its response to the El Niño-aggravated ongoing floods,” the statement concludes.