Photo: Collected
The European Union pledged on Wednesday (13 March) to send 20 million euros ($22 million) worth of emergency relief aid to Haiti as the Caribbean nation faces a humanitarian disaster sparked by ongoing gang violence.
"The European Commission has allocated €20 million in humanitarian aid to Haiti, where unprecedented levels of gang violence are dramatically increasing humanitarian needs country-wide for civilians," the EU’s executive said.
The funding will help humanitarian partners address the most urgent needs of the population in terms of protection, food assistance, nutrition, water availability, sanitation and health care, the statement read.
Gangs tightened their grip on the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said late on Monday he would resign once a transitional council was created. Henry has been stranded in Puerto Rico after gangs took over airports, preventing him from returning home.
The UN World Food Programme warned on Tuesday that 1.4 million Haitians were "a step away from famine." Haiti relies on imports for 50% of its food supply. With roads in and out of Port-au-Prince under control of armed gangs, people have been cutting down on meals, leading to high malnutrition rates.
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