The EU is boosting its humanitarian funding with €5 million in response to the increasing needs resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis. The conflict escalation and subsequent ceasefire is expected to trigger a mass exodus of people from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, with approximately 13,500 refugees having crossed the border already. At the same time, there is a major food shortage and lack of access to electricity and water within the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.
The €5m humanitarian funding includes €500,000 of emergency support of emergency support announced last week and €4.5m new funding, which will assist people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and vulnerable people inside Nagorno-Karabakh.
Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič stated: “We must be prepared to support the thousands who have fled Nagorno Karabakh, especially as the upcoming winter is likely to expose the refugees to additional challenges. The EU is drastically stepping up its humanitarian aid in the region to provide emergency relief to people in need, both within the Nagorno Karabakh enclave, and to people now displaced in Armenia. The EU is committed to coordinate humanitarian efforts on the ground to assist the people affected by this conflict.”
Including the new funding announced today, the European Commission has provided more than €25.8m in humanitarian aid since the conflict escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. At the outbreak of the 2020 conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Commission promptly responded with €6.9m in humanitarian support to address the needs of the most vulnerable among the civilians directly affected by the hostilities. More information is available in the press release published online here.
