EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 21.11.2022

COM(2022) 647 final

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL

Annual report on the European Union's humanitarian aid operations financed in 2021

Introduction    

Humanitarian aid operations supported in 2021    

Overview – main aid operations supported    

Horizontal priorities    

Summary of evaluations completed in 2021    

Additional information and sources    

DG ECHO implementing partners (2021)    

Introduction

This report presents the European Union (EU)’s main activities and policy outcomes in 2021 in the field of humanitarian aid, as funded by the Union’s budget and implemented by the European Commission (Commission).

The report is prepared in accordance with Article 19 of of 20 June 1996.

Humanitarian aid operations supported in 2021

In 2021 the humanitarian needs kept increasing due to complex crises, armed conflicts, natural hazards, and health emergencies, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission, through its Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), remained a leading humanitarian donor, allocating almost EUR 2.2 billion in more than 80 countries, to support millions of people in need. While the massive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the dire situation of vulnerable populations, a total of EUR 656 million in humanitarian support has been mobilised since the beginning of the pandemic to address its effects, including a package of EUR 100 million for vaccination roll out in Africa, in cooperation with the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, the Humanitarian Air Bridge (HAB) continued to operate with 21 flights in 2021, providing essential medical supplies and humanitarian cargo to 4 countries 1 .

The crises in Africa, and in Syria (and its neighbouring countries), were allocated a wide proportion of EU humanitarian aid. Furthermore, since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, a significant humanitarian aid response was mobilised to address the drastic deterioration of the political situation in Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries. Moreover, the EU maintained its focus on supporting populations hit by ‘forgotten crises’, such as in the Central African Republic, Sudan, Pakistan, Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, Ukraine and the Philippines.

To address the growing humanitarian funding gap, the Commission also promoted the implementation of the Grand Bargain commitments while also ensuring quality funding through the implementation of its sectoral policy guidelines.

Overview – main aid operations supported

Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, 2021 was marked by the evolving northern conflict between the Federal Government and the Tigrayan Regional Security Forces.

The EU provided EUR 85.5 million to support life-saving assistance to internally displaced people uprooted by conflict or natural hazards, as well as to refugees, migrants and food insecure people, affected by the locust outbreak in the region.

Kenya

Kenya hosts over 500 000 refugees primarily from Somalia and South Sudan, completely dependent on humanitarian aid. The ongoing drought, and COVID-19, increasingly impacted the food and nutrition situation, with at least 3.1 million people in need of food assistance in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands.

The EU provided EUR 18 million for basic survival services (food assistance, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health-nutrition, protection and education) for refugees and asylum seekers living in camps.

Somalia

The humanitarian situation in Somalia has further deteriorated in 2021 due to internal armed conflict and the development of a severe drought.

The EU´s humanitarian assistance of EUR 63.8 million included life-saving activities, mitigating measures to address desert locust upsurge, floods, the impact of COVID-19 and measures to strengthen early response capacity in case of new shocks.

South Sudan

In 2021, communities were hit hard by conflict, sub-national violence, major flooding and COVID-19. Humanitarian access to affected populations continued to be constrained by violence and operational impediments.

EU action mobilised EUR 76.5 million to reduce excess mortality and morbidity in the country, protect communities affected by violence, provide lifesaving activities, and support the humanitarian community´s actions.

Sudan

The number of people in need of assistance has risen for the fourth year in a row. Food insecurity remained alarmingly high with increased and protracted displacement caused by internal armed conflict, economic decline and inflation affecting food prices. This was exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19. As of October 2021, more than 20% of Sudan’s population faced acute food insecurity.

The EU allocated EUR 62.1 million to provide emergency lifesaving services and protection assistance to populations displaced or affected by conflict or natural disasters, and to respond to health, nutrition and food security crises.

Uganda

Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, mainly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The influx of refugees has overstretched the capacity of reception and transit centres. The main needs related to food assistance, WASH, protection and other basic services.

EUR 35 million was allocated by the EU to life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable and host communities and to strengthen local disaster preparedness.

Burundi

Due to extreme weather events, COVID-19 and security and human rights protection concerns, 2.3 million people in Burundi and over 260 000 refugees in neighbouring countries were in need of humanitarian aid.

The EU followed a regional approach, allocating EUR 12.8 million in aid for coordination, protection, disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction, including against epidemics.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Humanitarian crises in the DRC exposed 26 million people to acute food insecurity. Due to persistent conflict and violence, the DRC counts over 5.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and over 800 000 refugees in neighbouring countries. Malaria, natural disasters and epidemics took a huge toll.

The EU allocated EUR 70 million in humanitarian aid, out of which over EUR 63 million for life-saving activities, including EUR 15 million for famine response. It also supported the emergency response to the volcano eruption of Mount Nyiragongo.

Central African Republic

Due to the deteriorating regional crisis which has led more than 1.4 million people to leave their homes, EU funds (EUR 22.5 million, including 1 million for the response to the new influx of Central African Republic refugees in the DRC) were allocated to support food supply, livelihood, agriculture, protection of civilians and basic services in the country. Support was also given to reinforce humanitarian coordination, security and logistics.

Sahel

Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mali, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon

There are over 32 million people identified as persons in need, with 23.7 million in food insecurity (the double in comparison to 2015-2020 on average).

The EU provided a response of EUR 242 million in the Sahel region to tackle the food crisis, enhance humanitarian coordination and security management in conflict areas and to improve disaster preparedness. Further progress was made in the implementation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to build resilience of the affected populations, reduce humanitarian needs and address the root causes of food insecurity and acute undernutrition.

Lake Chad Basin

Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad

A decade-long crisis has affected over 10 million people in the region. The EU prioritised multi-sectoral assistance and allocated EUR 96.5 million to support forcibly displaced populations with food assistance, nutrition, health and WASH. The EU also tackled education in emergencies, disaster preparedness, logistics for humanitarian infrastructures and access through air services.

Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region

Angola, Botswana, Comoros Islands, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

The needs in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region significantly increased due to droughts, COVID-19, increased cyclonic activities, high food prices and armed violence, leading to internal displacement. Over 23 million people faced acute levels of food and nutrition insecurity and needed humanitarian assistance across the region.

The EU aid of EUR 52.5 million focused on emergency relief response such as food and nutrition assistance, protection, access to healthcare, education in emergencies, water and sanitation and disaster preparedness.

North Africa

Libya

Approximately 1.3 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance, 168 011 remained displaced and 635 051 were migrants. COVID-19 and limited humanitarian access exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.

The EU allocated EUR 9 million to assist the most vulnerable, through protection interventions, multi-purpose cash transfers, basic healthcare and education in emergencies. Dedicated funding supported the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Western Sahara and Algeria

Tens of thousands of Saharawi refugees remain stranded as a result of a 40-year-long forgotten crisis. They live in five camps in southwest Algeria with little access to outside resources, making humanitarian aid essential to their survival.

The EU allocated EUR 10 million humanitarian assistance aimed to cover the basic needs of Saharawi refugees such as food, drinking water, essential healthcare, and education in emergencies. This included EUR 1 million dedicated to COVID-19-related activities.

Latin America and the Caribbean

The Latin America and the Caribbean region has been severely affected by the multidimensional effects of COVID-19.

The EU supported the region with in EUR 16.9 million (including EUR 0.9 million from epidemics), tackling the consequences of the pandemic among the most vulnerable (including indigenous communities).

South America

Venezuela  

Along with the prolonged economic recession and hyperinflation, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the needs for health, water, food and education in Venezuela. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, around 6 million Venezuelans have left their country since the crisis started.

In 2021, the EU allocated EUR 82.2 million to support Venezuelan migrants/refugees as well as host communities in neighbouring countries such as Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.

Colombia 

The humanitarian situation in Colombia deteriorated sharply in 2021 following the arrival of 1.8 million Venezuelan refugees in the country and due to the increment of internal violence.

The EU provided EUR 12.2 million of emergency relief aid to people affected by internal violence, displacement and restriction of movement (especially to minorities) and continued its engagement in terms of disaster preparedness (EUR 2 million).

Central America 

Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador

According to 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview Plan for those countries, 8.3 million persons were in need of humanitarian assistance. There were also more than 1.7 million internally displaced persons. Transcontinental and extracontinental population movements met a dramatic increase during 2021.

In 2021, EU’s response of EUR 12.3 million assisted around 860 000 beneficiaries and addressed the critical needs of the most vulnerable victims and survivors of organised violence, notably through protection and relief assistance and provision of food assistance.

The Caribbean, including Haiti

The socio-economic crisis in the whole region, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in increased food insecurity: 10 million people suffered from moderate food insecurity and 1 million from severe food insecurity.

In 2021, the EU remained engaged in the support to the resilience and disaster preparedness in the region and allocated a total of EUR 3.9 million, including the emergency assistance in response to the Soufrière volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

As regards Haiti, since June 2021, violence and territorial disputes between armed gangs in Port-au-Prince have significantly increased, with more than 19 000 IDPs registered facing severe protection threats.

The EU has mobilised EUR 17 million to mitigate acute food insecurity in Haiti, to assist and protect victims of violence, to provide relief following the 14 August 2021 earthquake, as well as for disaster preparedness actions.

Asia and Pacific

Central Asia 

Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran

The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, mainly Iran and Pakistan drastically deteriorated since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment 2   estimated that 24 million people needed humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan due to the alarming food insecurity situation, the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy contraction. Between January and 19 December 2021, 682 031 persons were newly internally displaced.

The EU allocated a total of EUR 251.5 million that reached 5 million beneficiaries in extreme need. Some 280 tonnes of cargo, mainly medical equipment, COVID-19 supplies and food items were transported to Kabul through the EU’s Humanitarian Air Bridge.

Bangladesh 

According to the 2021 Joint Response Plan , as result of the Rohingya crisis, 884 000 stateless refugees resided in the Cox’s Bazar region. The humanitarian needs addressed by the EU through the allocation of EUR 41.1 million included food assistance, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, protection, shelter and education.

Myanmar

Following the Myanmar military coup in February 2021, the humanitarian situation remained extremely volatile, with about 700 000 people displaced at the end of 2021. The EU mobilised EUR 24.8 million to provide assistance mainly as regards multi-sectoral emergency response, protection, food assistance, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, shelter and education.

Philippines 

The ongoing armed conflict in Mindanao is considered as one the most important forgotten crises. The Philippines is also prone to natural disasters with millions affected in the past year.

In 2021, the EU allocated EUR 7 million to address needs mainly related to the conflict in Mindanao and to natural hazards, especially typhoons. The needs of affected people (including IDPs) were targeted through cash transfers.

Middle East and Neighbourhood (South and East)

Syria

13.4 million people needed humanitarian aid due to the multi-faceted armed conflict in Syria. The EU allocated EUR 140 million to help vulnerable populations, and ensured the delivery of food, medicine, water, and shelter. The EU assistance aimed at improving living conditions, as regards health, protection and education.

The Commission also organised and co-chaired the conference on ‘Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region ’ and participated in the Humanitarian Task Force  related to the International Syria Support Group.

Lebanon and Jordan

In Lebanon, political instability and communal tension influenced the discourse and the protection space of Syrian refugees and have created access issues for humanitarian partners, affecting their ability to deliver aid.

In Jordan, the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the lack of access by refugees to basic services, such as housing or education, especially for those residing in camps.

The EU helped Syrian refugees and the vulnerable host population in Lebanon and Jordan by advocating for their protection and facilitating their access to basic services, such as health, housing, education or WASH. EU´s total humanitarian assistance amounted to EUR 72.5 million.

Palestine 3

The EU provided EUR 34.7 million to support vulnerable civilians in Gaza, that are exposed to conflict in a deteriorating socio-economic environment, as well as to vulnerable communities at risk of forced displacement and lacking access to basic services in the West Bank. This included an emergency response during the escalation of tension in May 2021.

The EU continued to advocate for the respect of International Humanitarian Law  in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Iraq

1.2 million people remained displaced across the country and over 85% of IDPs lived in informal sites outside camps.

The EU´s humanitarian aid (EUR 28.5 million) addressed the needs of the most vulnerable IDPs through the provision of multi-sectoral assistance. Funding also supported access to COVID-19 vaccination, prevention, and health referral systems for excluded and marginalised people.

Yemen

Yemen remained the world’s largest humanitarian crisis with 20.7 million people requiring humanitarian assistance and protection. Over 4 million people have been displaced due to the ongoing armed conflict. Yemen is experiencing one of the largest food security emergencies in the world, with 16.2 million people facing severe food shortages.

The EU provided EUR 134 million to life-saving assistance targeting people directly exposed to the armed conflict or living in high-risk areas of food insecurity, malnutrition and epidemics.

Türkiye

In Türkiye, the EU allocated EUR 325 million to continue providing support to the largest refugee population in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected refugees further increasing their needs. Protection remains a major need as refugees face difficulties accessing social services and exercising their rights.

In 2021 the EU supported more than 1.5 million refugees, meeting basic needs with monthly cash assistance (through the Emergency Social Safety Net) and assisted vulnerable refugee families whose children attended school under the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education (CCTE). In 2021, the CCTE assisted over 695 000 children.

Ukraine

The security situation in Ukraine, especially in eastern Ukraine, was volatile even before Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine started. Already in 2021, some 3.4 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance.

In response, the EU allocated EUR 28.9 million and reached in 2021 more than 750 000 people including in the non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine. The funding helped people in the fields of health, basic needs, access to water, education in emergencies, and protection, including mine risk education.

Belarus

The Union promptly addressed the humanitarian impact of the migration crisis created and instrumentalised by the Belarusian regime for political purposes, which escalated in November 2021. The EU provided EUR 700 000 to humanitarian partners to deliver relief assistance to people stranded at the EU external borders with Belarus.

Horizontal priorities

In March 2021, the Commission adopted a Communication on the European Union’s humanitarian action , setting out a strategic vision for the EU’s role as a humanitarian actor, and defining a clear agenda for the EU’s humanitarian action for the years to come. The communication provides for actions to broaden the donor base for humanitarian action, both inside and beyond the EU, to step-up efforts to promote the respect of International Humanitarian Law in armed conflicts or to make sure the assistance represents the best possible value for money, while having the greatest possible impact on the ground.

International Humanitarian Law

In 2021 the EU continued its systematic public advocacy of International Humanitarian Law for example through public statements and interventions in multilateral fora, such as a side event on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September 2021, the preparatory work of the European Humanitarian Forum through a webinar on 26 November 2021 or through supporting a stronger EU humanitarian diplomacy. The Commission’s extensive set of actions was included in the 2021 Report on the EU Guidelines on Promoting Compliance with International Humanitarian Law published in June 2022.

The Commission has been also, promoting the protection of education from attack, the protection of children in armed conflict and the safety and security of humanitarian and medical personnel in armed conflicts. This was done through a side event organised with Belgium on 23 September 2021 on the margins of the 2021 UN General Assembly and through a discussion series on safety and security of humanitarian and medical personnel in armed conflicts.

Education in Emergencies

In 2021, the Commission continued to allocacate 10% of its initial humanitarian aid budget to Education in Emergencies supporting formal and non-formal education, promoting integrated and innovative solutions to ensure that all children affected by armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies, particularly girls, have equitable access to safe and quality learning. This funding amounted to EUR 146 million, benefiting over 2.3 million children.

Food assistance and malnutrition

According to the 2021 Global Report on Food Crises , more than 155 million people experienced acute hunger requiring urgent food, nutrition and livelihood assistance in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased these figures in the first half of 2021, up to 161 million. 

EU humanitarian funding was significantly increased to the countries most affected by food insecurity. The EU committed to spending at least EUR 1.1 billion to fight malnutrition in the period 2021-2024. Moreover, the humanitarian-development-peace nexus in food crises as well as the promotion of anticipatory action approaches were further implemented.

Health

The needs for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPS) continued to grow. Throughout 2021, the Commission undertook several initiatives in this area, notably supporting partners under the 2021 European Humanitarian Response Capacity to develop policies and tools to strengthen the integration of MHPS across sectors and collect quality data. 

Disaster preparedness

In 2021, the Commission continued strengthening disaster preparedness and anticipatory action. Disaster preparedness also continued to be mainstreamed in humanitarian assistance response operations. 49% of all EU humanitarian projects funded in 2021 included disaster preparedness activities.

The Commission developed in consultation with partners a new Disaster Preparedness Guidance Note , published in 2021, which outlines its approach to disaster preparedness and risk-informed humanitarian response.

Cash assistance

In line with the Council Conclusions on multi-purpose cash and the Grand Bargain commitments, the Commission encouraged the use of cash transfers in appropriate settings, which would offer affected people greater choice, flexibility and control over their own lives. The Commission worked on a  new thematic policy document on cash transfers which was adopted in 2022. 

Innovation and private sector engagement

The Commission launched a call for proposals for projects with humanitarian partners, aimed at mobilising private sector and financial capital for humanitarian projects.

The Commission scaled up its work on data protection and responsible sharing of personal data, providing guidance on these issues as part of the new thematic policy document on cash transfers .

EU Humanitarian Aid Flight, Humanitarian Air Bridge, and other support for humanitarian air transport services

EU Humanitarian Aid Flight (formerly ECHO Flight) is a humanitarian air service with four aircrafts. Flight operations in 2021 provided transport to more than 10 000 humanitarian aid workers and the delivery of over 200 tonnes of humanitarian cargo for around 150 projects implemented by Commission’s humanitarian partners and other humanitarian organisations in the DRC, Kenya and Mali.

EUR 8.8 million allocated in 2021 by the EU, contributed to the support of World Food Programme/ United Nations Humanitarian Aid Services in Nigeria, a logistic operation in Mali with Handicap International 4  and the implementation of EU HAB  operations to Ethiopia, Haiti, Afghanistan and Mozambique (21 flights - 500 tonnes of humanitarian cargo). 

Summary of evaluations completed in 2021

Evaluation of the EU’s implementation of the DG ECHO’s Thematic Policy Document “Gender: Different Needs, Adapted Assistance” of July 2013, 2014-2018

The evaluation  found appropriate coherence with relevant policies at EU and global levels, significant added value to the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies and proactive coordination and advocacy with Member States. Gender integration improved in operations.

Evaluation of the European Union’s humanitarian response to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, 2017-2019

The evaluation concluded that DG ECHO contributed to meeting the objectives of preventing and alleviating human suffering, maintaining human dignity and upholding humanitarian principles. This also encompassed a key role in terms of coordination and advocacy.

Evaluation of European Union’s humanitarian assistance in Syria, 2016-2018

The evaluation concluded that DG ECHO made a unique contribution to strengthening the humanitarian footprint across Syria, improving coverage of response in hard-to-reach and besieged areas. The response in aligned with humanitarian principles, and well-coordinated with other humanitarian actors.

2021 Humanitarian aid budget implementation

The humanitarian aid funding agreements concluded by the Commission in 2021 can be found on the website.

Humanitarian aid budget implementation

Additional information and sources

•General information on DG ECHO:

http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en

•Financial information on the European Commission's humanitarian aid activities in 2021:

•Operational information from previous years: 

•2021 Annual Activity Report, DG ECHO:

•2021 Annual Management and Performance Report:

•DG ECHO evaluation reports:

•European Commission and Member States' humanitarian aid funding data: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/hac/  

6 DG ECHO implementing partners (2021)

(1)

 Afghanistan, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Haiti were covered by the HAB in 2021.

(2)      IPC is a set of standardised tools that aims at providing a common standard to classifying the severity and magnitude of food insecurity. The period of the last IPC covers September 2021 to March 2022.

(3)      This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

(4)      ECHO/FLI/BUD/2021/91001: action seeking to pool means of transport (by road, by air and on the Niger river) to deliver humanitarian assistance from Bamako and Mopti to other parts of Mali. 

(5)      In addition to the humanitarian aid budget, DG ECHO managed EUR 904 million under the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism (EUR 225,8 million under the Multiannual Financial Framework budget and EUR 678,6 million under the Next Generation EU budget), and EUR 1.6 million under Other External Actions.

(6) DG ECHO partners implementing EU-funded humanitarian aid operations during 2021.