The European Commission will provide €120 million in humanitarian aid to support vulnerable populations in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2025. This funding will address the impacts of
recent natural disasters and armed conflicts while strengthening disaster preparedness in a region highly prone to natural hazards.
Regional breakdown
Venezuela: €38 million will support humanitarian organizations addressing the ongoing crisis. The aid focuses on protecting vulnerable groups, improving health, nutrition, and education.
Colombia: €21 million will assist people displaced by armed conflicts and those affected by migration in border areas with Venezuela. Key priorities include food security, livelihoods, water, sanitation, health, and education.
South America (Regional): €10 million is allocated to support forcibly displaced individuals and those at risk. Specifically, Ecuador will receive €2 million to address the impacts of rising violence.
Central America: €10 million will target communities affected by violence and food insecurity, with an additional €10.1 million dedicated to disaster preparedness.
Caribbean: Haiti will receive over €18 million to address the humanitarian crisis driven by escalating gang violence. Other Caribbean nations will benefit from over €8.5 million, primarily for disaster preparedness.
Background
This announcement coincides with the first anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on disaster risk management, signed in Barbados in 2024 between the EU and Latin American and Caribbean partners.
The MoU, a key outcome of the 2023 EU-CELAC Summit, fosters cooperation in disaster risk management. It involves the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Coordination Centre for the Prevention of Disasters in Central America and Dominican Republic (CEPREDENAC), the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (SGCAN), and countries including Chile, Cuba, and Mexico. The agreement supports the implementation of the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.