EU boosts humanitarian aid to Sahel region

The European Union (EU) will give 156 million euros (177.8 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance in 2015 to the Sahel region, the European Commission said in a statement Monday.

This new aid has been announced by EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, who is currently in Senegal and about to visit Mali, according to the statement.

"Sahel is the poorest region in the world and must continue to be our high priority. We need to prevent acute malnutrition and food insecurity from becoming a norm in West Africa", said Stylianides.

EU humanitarian aid for the Sahel will help assist the victims of malnutrition and the security crisis in Mali and contain the food and security crisis in Nigeria, as well as in Chad to tackle malnutrition and help the increasing number of refugees coming from the Central African Republic (CAR).

The UK is contributing 45 million euros (51.3 million U.S. dollars) to the EU's funding for the Sahel to respond to the humanitarian challenges in the region. Endit