Brussels, 29/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - In the face of the constantly worsening crisis in Syria, the EU decided to mobilise a further €136 million in emergency aid on Thursday 29 January. The funding is to be taken from the EHCO budget. Half will go to the vulnerable people inside Syria, and the other half will go to Syrian refugees and host communities in the neighbouring countries (Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq).
Lebanon and Jordan - where European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn are currently making a joint visit (28-31 January) - will receive €37 million and €20 million respectively. Stylianides paid tribute to the “immense efforts by Lebanon and Jordan, who have shown huge solidarity” with the refugees.
This additional aid will enable ECHO's partner humanitarian organisations to provide the people with food, emergency medical aid, drinking water, shelter and cash.
The total humanitarian aid mobilised by the EU in response to this crisis exceeds €3.12 billion. The European Commission has financed €676 million of this. (AN)