The European Commission has provided a total of €64.7 million in humanitarian aid for countries in the southern Africa region to help support people in need dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, extreme weather conditions – such as persistent drought in the region – and other crises.
While disclosing this on Monday July 20, 2020, Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management, stated that the EU is helping to provide life-saving assistance to impoverished households suffering from crop and livestock losses due to drought.
Lenarčič noted that the package would also strengthen the preparation and response to the coronavirus pandemic for countries in the region.
“In parallel, the EU is helping communities better prepare for natural hazards and reduce their impact,” he said.
The Commissioner explained that funding from the aid package will go for humanitarian projects in Angola (€3 million), Botswana (€1.95 million), Comoros (€500,000), Eswatini (€2.4 million), Lesotho (€4.8 million), Madagascar (€7.3 million), Malawi (€7.1 million), Mauritius (€250,000), Mozambique (€14.6 million), Namibia (€2 million), Zambia (€5 million) and Zimbabwe (€14.2 million). A further €1.6 million will be allocated to regional disaster preparedness actions.
He continued that “The funding will target food assistance to vulnerable households and helping farmers in the affected areas restore their means of subsistence and will also help with coronavirus prevention and preparedness actions to support local health systems and facilitate access to health care, protective equipment, sanitation and hygiene.”
“Disaster preparedness projects that also cover new needs brought about by the coronavirus pandemic which includes strengthening early warning systems and evacuation plans for communities at risk of natural hazards, and having emergency stocks of personal protective equipment,” he added.
He said that the fund would also support children’s education and provide training to teaching staff.
Lenarčič stated that given the serious deterioration of the security situation in Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, €5 million will support vulnerable people in the area.
“Projects will be assisting with access to testing, infection prevention and control measures in public health facilities, risk communication including to hard-to-reach communities,” the commissioner concluded.
