NAIROBI, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The European Union said it has allocated 358.3 million U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid to reach the populations of the Horn of Africa region which is adversely affected by humanitarian crises
The EU said in a statement issued Monday evening that it will mainly target food insecurity as well as address the needs of displaced persons and refugees, disaster preparedness, and education in emergencies.
"The urgent needs of refugees and displaced persons will also be prioritized. Particular emphasis will also be placed on promoting respect for International Humanitarian Law," it said.
The Horn of Africa region which includes Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Uganda, South Sudan and Sudan, has been plagued by violence for many years and is facing multiple and overlapping humanitarian crises with more than 50 million people in urgent need of food assistance, the EU said.
The funding will support humanitarian projects in Djibouti (541,600 dollars), Ethiopia (65.54 million dollars), Kenya (13.54 million dollars), Somalia (78 million dollars), South Sudan (88.84 million dollars), Sudan (79.1 million dollars) and Uganda (32.5 million dollars).
"Of the total funds allocated to the Greater Horn of Africa, around 8 million euros (8.67 million dollars) will be dedicated to disaster preparedness," the EU said.
According to the EU, other priorities across the region include the protection of civilians and the fight against gender-based violence and nutrition.
According to the EU, around 14.5 million people are displaced in the Greater Horn of Africa region, while around 4 million are refugees. Millions in the region are food insecure. ■