Belarus: €700,000 in EU humanitarian aid for vulnerable people stranded at the border

Today, the EU allocated €700,000 to tackle the humanitarian crisis on its border with Belarus.

 “The EU is supporting its humanitarian partners to help alleviate the suffering of people stranded at the border and in other parts of Belarus. I am calling for continuous access of humanitarian organisations from both sides to reach this large group of refugees and migrants to provide them with urgent assistance,” said Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič.

Part of this support – €200,000 – is allocated is allocated by the European Commission. This funding will be provided to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as a part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, managed by the IFRC. This immediate EU funding will support the IFRC and its national society, the Belarus Red Cross, to deliver much needed relief assistance, including food, hygiene kits, blankets, and first aid kits.

The EU has mobilised an additional €500,000 in humanitarian funding and is currently in contact with its humanitarian partner organisations for the implementation of the funds.

Aid is channelled impartially to the affected populations, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation.

“We are ready to do more. But the Belarusian regime must stop luring people and putting their lives at risk,” commented President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Twitter.

Earlier, the Council of the European Union agreed on the adoption of a new package of sanctions to punish those people and entities in Belarus responsible for exploiting vulnerable migrants and facilitating illegal border crossings into the European Union.

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