The need for humanitarian assistance may be hard to predict, but governments still try. The EU just approved its budget for 2013, providing a glimpse into its spending plans.
So which countries and regions does the European Commission want to prioritize this year? Not surprisingly, Brussels is keeping a close eye on Africa: In 2012, a drought in the Sahel region as well as continued instability in Somalia and flareups of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo have captured many headlines.
The proposed allocation, approved Jan. 4, amounts to €661 million ($867 million) and will come from the 2013 general budget of the European Union. It covers humanitarian assistance, food aid and disaster preparedness activities.
The funds will be channeled through the European Commission’s partner groups, including United Nations agencies and nongovernmental organizations. Implementing the budget is subject to the availability of appropriations.
Here are some of the main takeaways from the 2013 EU humanitarian aid budget:
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