The European Commission (EU) has announced a €1.9 billion humanitarian aid budget for West and Central Africa, Ukraine, the Middle East, the Caribbean, South America, Southeast Asia and North Africa.
The EU is sending aid against the backdrop of significant global need, with 239 million people requiring assistance, even though major donors have reduced their funding.
The EU’s humanitarian efforts focus on delivering crucial support, including emergency food, shelter, healthcare, and educational resources for children in crisis regions. 
Commissioner Hadja Lahbib will be presenting this budget at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The goal is to encourage private sector involvement and innovative solutions to enhance public funding effectiveness in delivering aid.
The budget breakdown allocates €557 million to areas like West and Central Africa, the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin, and other critical zones and €14.6 millionto North Africa.
The top global donor of humanitarian aid is the European Union and its member states. Since 1992, the Commission has been delivering humanitarian help in more than 110 countries through specialised agencies in the Member States, international organisations (including UN agencies), and humanitarian non-governmental organisations.
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Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said:
‘The humanitarian system is under unprecedented strain, and public funding alone will not meet the scale of the crisis. Europe is taking action, committing an initial €1.9 billion for 2026. As the largest humanitarian donor, we are taking our political responsibility and leading the global response. That’s why I’m in Davos: to mobilise the private sector to think bigger, move faster, and act together. This is a test of solidarity, and Europe is rising to the challenge.’
With the US cutting off some of its aid programs, the world needs humanitarian assistance more than ever. The issue is: will the money be used for its intended purposes?
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