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EU Directors-General for humanitarian aid on the gap between the needs and funds available

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The EU directors-general for humanitarian aid discussed improving coordination and increasing efforts within the working party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA). The Acting Director-General Igor Jukič outlined the achievements and progress the Slovenian Presidency has made so far on humanitarian aid.
Igor Jukič sitting at the table during the video conference

Acting Director-General Igor Jukič at the meeting of EU directors-general for humanitarian aid | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve

Its achievements include formulating conclusions on water in the EU’s external action and on emergency response within the COHAFA working body to the ongoing humanitarian crises, and specifically in Afghanistan. Acting Director-General Jukič also touched on some of the pressing issues discussed, such as the triple nexus, anticipatory humanitarian action, the implementation of international humanitarian law, and digitalisation in humanitarian activities. He thanked the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid and the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU for their support.

The directors-general went on to discuss improving coordination and increasing efforts within the COHAFA working body. Following this year’s Communication on humanitarian action published by the Commission and the commitments based on Council conclusions, the meeting focused on the gap between dire humanitarian needs and funds made available by member states to meet these needs. In recent years, Slovenia has been increasing its funds for humanitarian aid, from EUR 2.3 million in 2015 to EUR 2.93 million in 2020 according to recent data.

The directors-general also exchanged views on the concrete steps that member states could take to contribute to strengthening the respect for international humanitarian law. The meeting also laid the groundwork for the upcoming European Humanitarian Forum to be held in 2022.