OREANDA-NEWS.  With the Horn of Africa continuing to face a multitude of crises from recurrent cycles of conflict to natural disasters, affecting millions of people, the EU has announced €77 million in humanitarian aid for the region in 2016.

The Horn of Africa region is hosting some 1.7 million refugees. More than half a million live in Kenya.

EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, made the announcement during his visit to Kenya today, where he visited the Dadaab refugee camp, the largest in the world, hosting over 350 000 people.

"Today I travelled to Dadaab, where the first Somali refugees found shelter from conflict and hunger 25 years ago. I witnessed the immense needs of families whose lives have been changed forever. These people rely on our humanitarian assistance. I was also touched by the hospitality shown by the Kenyan people. No country can cope alone with the provision of essential services to so many refugees. We need to strengthen the resilience of both forcibly displaced populations and host communities".

Out of the €77 million announced today, €17 million will go towards life-saving and emergency aid for the most vulnerable in Kenya. This will include food, health care, water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter, protection and education in emergencies.

A significant number of people in the Horn of Africa are affected either by forced displacement, or by food insecurity and malnutrition – or in many cases, both. The region is also home to some 1.7 million refugees, mostly from South Sudan and Somalia.

The €77 million in EU humanitarian aid announced today for 2016 will help respond to the most pressing needs of the displaced populations, in the areas of nutrition, health, water and sanitation, shelter and protection. It will also help improve disaster preparedness and resilience.

With €29 million, Somalia will be the main aid recipient, followed by Ethiopia (€25 million) and Kenya (€17 million).

Country/Thematic

Total in EUR

Somalia

29 000 000

Ethiopia

25 000 000

Kenya

17 000 000

Uganda

5 000 000

Djibouti

500 000

Disaster Risk Reduction (regional)

500 000

 

Kenya is one of the main recipient countries for refugees in the region and in Africa. It hosts close to 600 000 refugees. 183 000 of these have sought refuge in Kakuma, located in the northwest of the country. The majority come from neighbouring South Sudan and Somalia. Refugees in Kenya predominantly depend on humanitarian assistance, as they are not allowed to work for a living.

In addition, over 1 million people, mostly in arid regions, are food insecure. The situation is expected to worsen following the extreme weather phenomenon ‘El Nino’ currently affecting the region.

Last month, the EU announced €79 million in assistance for the Greater Horn of Africa, including Kenya, to help deal specifically with the consequences caused by El Nino.