Belarus: EU allocates €700,000 in humanitarian assistance for vulnerable people stranded at the border

Responding immediately to an appeal, the European Commission has allocated €200,000 in humanitarian funding to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund, managed by the IFRC. This immediate EU funding will support the IFRC and its national society, the Belarus Red Cross, to deliver much needed relief assistance, including food, hygiene kits, blankets, and first aid kits. The EU has mobilised an additional €500,000 in humanitarian funding and is currently in contact with its humanitarian partner organisations for the implementation of the funds. Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “The EU is supporting its humanitarian partners to help alleviate the suffering of people stranded at the border and in other parts of Belarus. I am calling for continuous access of humanitarian organisations from both sides to reach this large group of refugees and migrants to provide them with urgent assistance.” The European Commission stands ready to provide additional humanitarian funding in response to clearly established humanitarian needs, should the access for humanitarian partner organisations in Belarus further improve. All EU humanitarian aid is based on international humanitarian principles. The EU provides needs-based humanitarian assistance to the people hit by manmade and natural disasters with particular attention to the most vulnerable victims. Aid is channelled impartially to the affected populations, regardless of their race, ethnic group, religion, gender, age, nationality or political affiliation.