EU announces €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026

On 22 January, the European Commission announced its initial €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for 2026, at a time when 239 million people need assistance, and major donors are cutting funding. 

The commissioner for equality , preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib, announced this commitment at the World Economic Forum in Davos, seeking to mobilise private sector finance and innovative solutions that can complement public funding and reach people in need.

The package includes €145 million for humanitarian needs in Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion enters its fourth year, and an additional €8 million for humanitarian projects in Moldova.

The EU and its Member States are the leading global humanitarian aid donors. The Commission has been providing humanitarian aid since 1992 in over 110 countries, delivered through humanitarian non-governmental organisations, international organisations (including UN agencies), and specialised agencies in the Member States.

The European Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) can help any country inside or outside the EU affected by a major disaster upon request from the national authorities or a United Nations body. Operating 24/7, the ERCC ensures rapid deployment of emergency support and acts as a coordination hub between all EU Member States, 10 additional participating states, the affected country, and civil protection and humanitarian aid experts.

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Press release