The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, was in Yerevan on Friday 6 October “to express the EU’s solidarity with all those who have had to leave their lives behind and with Armenia and its host communities who are welcoming people in need”. This visit enabled him to take stock of these needs, with the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, as well as with the refugees and humanitarian partners.
“In these difficult times, you can count on the full support of the EU”, immediately, but also in the medium and long term, Mr Lenarčič assured a press conference, alongside the Armenian Deputy Prime Minister, Tigran Khachatryan. He congratulated the Armenian authorities on their swift and effective handling of the crisis.
At a time when almost all of the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh have been forced to flee to find refuge in Armenia, the Commissioner visited a reception centre for forcibly displaced Armenians and highlighted the increase in emergency equipment aid, provided in kind and coordinated by the EU, to supplement humanitarian funding.
By 4 October, 8 EU Member States had responded to the Armenian government’s request for assistance in the form of shelter, medicines and medical care, submitted to the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) on 29 September.
On Friday, there were “12 plus Norway”. The European Commissioner said he was very encouraged by this “example of European solidarity to help Armenia face the considerable challenge of a huge influx of refugees” - tens of thousands.
Austria, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Norway have donated emergency accommodation, food and medical supplies. Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Sweden have offered medical support to help those badly burned in the explosion at the Stepanakert fuel depot. The first flight carrying emergency equipment was due to arrive in Yerevan on Friday.
The first medical evacuation flight carrying patients for treatment in France landed in Paris on Thursday.
The in-kind aid channelled through the UCPM is in addition to more than €10 million in humanitarian funding - €5.25 million announced on Thursday by the Commission for refugees in Armenia (see EUROPE 13265/2) in addition to the €5 million mobilised in September, mainly for refugees (see EUROPE 13258/12, 13256/17).
A team of EU humanitarian experts has been deployed to Armenia, where it is currently coordinating with humanitarian partners to assess evolving needs and ensure a rapid response to the crisis.
Speaking at a press conference from Granada on Friday, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, announced that she had invited the Armenian Prime Minister to address the plenary assembly in Strasbourg on 18 October - an invitation which had been accepted. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)