The European Union is to mobilise €42.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to assist and protect civilian populations who are victims of the conflict in Iraq. This aid package was announced by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, who was concluding his 5th official visit to the country on Tuesday 7 March.
"At this critical point in the battle to liberate Mosul, (...) the humanitarian funds I announced will be instrumental to help the most vulnerable populations in active conflict areas including Mosul, Telafar and Hawidja", Stylianides stated in a Commission press release.
Since October 2016, the Mosul military operations have resulted in 230,000 people being displaced, of whom 57,000 have returned to their places of origin – mainly to the eastern bank of Mosul city (which has now been liberated).
During his visit, Stylianides visited the Qayyarah camp, which shelters displaced people in the country.
Last year, the European Commission disbursed €159 million in humanitarian aid in response to this wide-scale humanitarian crisis, and 266 tonnes of assistance in kind, offered by the countries participating in the EU civil protection mechanism, were delivered to Mosul.
The country has 11 million people in need, over 3 million internally displaced people and an estimate 1 million people beyond the reach of humanitarian aid. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)