European Union and donors pledge $1.7 billion to meet emergency aid in Sahel region

The European Union, on October 20, pledged 43.6 million euros ($51.5 million) to help meet emergency aid and food needs to three countries in Africa’s Sahel region. The United Nation announced that the over 20 donors, including the EU, have pledged nearly $1.7 billion to help people in Burkino Faso, Mali and Niger. The three African countries are at the epicentre of a humanitarian crisis and the donors pledged to provide aide for this year and over $700 million for 2021 and beyond. 

European Commission spokesman Balazs Ujvari said, "The EU’s pledge consists of 23.6 million euro in funding for humanitarian actions in Burkino Faso, Mali and Niger, and 20 million euro in development funding to address the food crisis afflicting the central Sahel region”. He added that the EU has already ‘mobilised eight billion euros for the region since 2014. 

READ: WFP Appeals For Access As Famine Appears In Sahel

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the funds will help around 10 million people in Africa’s Sahel region for the remained of this year and through next year with ‘nutrition, food, health services, water sanitation, shelter, education, protection and support to survivors of gender-based violence’. The pledge by the donors come as part of a virtual ministerial meeting aimed at spotlighting one of the worlds fastest-growing humanitarian crisis in a region plagued by increasing conflict, weak governance and a lack of development. 

UN seeks $2.4 billion in Sahel aid 

While speaking at a high-level virtual donors meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that the central Sahel region is at a breaking point and humanitarian needs in the border region of the three countries have reached record levels. 

Guterres said, “The security situation has deteriorated sharply, harshly affecting people’s daily lives. Violence is rising, and women and girls are especially vulnerable. Internal displacement has increased twenty-fold in less than two years. Climate change is threatening people’s livelihoods. And COVID-19 is making all of it worse”. 

READ: UN Hopes Meeting Will Raise $1 Billion For Key Sahel Nations

The UN chief added that this downward spiral is a microcosm of cascading global risks converging in one region and need to be reversed with a renewed push for peace and reconciliation. UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock also expressed fear that the region is ‘very close’ to a tipping point with ripple effects that could reach neighbouring countries and further afield. He reiterated that nowhere in the would ‘worries’ him as much as the Sahel in the medium-term. 

During the high-level meeting, Lowcock called on the international community and the Sahel government to make far bigger investment in basic services. Both Guterres and Lowcock appealed for $2.4 billion to cover the remains months of the year 2020 and 2021.

(Image & Inputs: AP) 

READ: UN Humanitarian Chief: Sahel Is Very Close To Tipping Point

READ: WFP: World Can't Forget Impoverished Sahel Region