The European Commission has allotted euro10 million (nearly USD14 million) to help meet humanitarian and food aid needs of Sahrawis living in refugee camps in southwestern Algeria.
The money will be used to ensure Sahrawi refugees have access to health care, clean water, proper sanitation, tents and logistical support.
“The Sahrawi refugees are suffering in what is one of the oldest and largely forgotten crises,” said Kristalina Georgieva, European commissioner for international cooperation, humanitarian aid and crisis response, in a press release. “The Commission is committed to assisting these vulnerable people until a political solution can be found to end their plight.”
Since 1975, Algeria has hosted tens of thousands of Sahrawi refugees in four camps in the southwestern region of Tindouf. Their displacement resulted from the 35-year-old conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front, a rebel movement seeking independence for Western Sahara from the African country.
