On January 16, the European Commission announced an initial allocation of €1.9 billion from the 2025 EU budget to support global humanitarian assistance. This funding will target regions facing significant crises, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia.

The allocation includes €605 million for Africa, €375 million for the Middle East, and €182 million for Asia. Of the funds designated for Africa, €510 million will focus on sub-Saharan and West Africa, while €95 million is earmarked for North Africa and Yemen. The €375 million for the Middle East will address the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Syria.

In addition to these primary allocations, €113 million will go toward addressing humanitarian needs in Latin America, including Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti, and Central America. Ukraine will receive €140 million, Moldova €8 million, and €35 million will be allocated to Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean region. The Southern Caucasus and Central Asia will benefit from €5 million, specifically for addressing humanitarian challenges in the region.

EU Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management, and Equality, Hadja Lahbib, emphasized the importance of ensuring "safe and unhindered access" to those in need. She also stressed that the international community must respect humanitarian law to facilitate effective aid delivery.

The EU’s 2025 humanitarian budget also includes over €295 million reserved for emergency responses to unforeseen crises and €110 million for innovative projects and policy initiatives to improve humanitarian response capacities. This allocation represents a continuation of the EU’s commitment to global humanitarian efforts, following its initial €1.8 billion humanitarian budget for 2024.