5 February 2026 23:00 UTC · European Commission · EU Commission Press Release · Source · Email X Link

European Commission announces €123.3 million humanitarian aid 2026

Key points

Provides €123.3 million for Latin America and the Caribbean
Targets aid to Venezuela, Colombia, South America, Caribbean, Central America and Mexico

TL;DR

European Commission says it will provide €123.3 million in humanitarian aid to Latin America and the Caribbean in 2026.
Hadja Lahbib says the EU stands firmly with the most vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Commission notes 15.6 million people were identified as needing humanitarian assistance in 2025 and says the United Nations revised 2026 target is set to halve that figure due to budget cuts.
The EU states funds will support relief and disaster preparedness, with specified allocations for Venezuela (€52M), Colombia (€17M), South America (>€16.3M), Caribbean (€23M and additional €4M), and Central America and Mexico (€11M).

Original text

European Commission - Press release EU allocates over €123 million in humanitarian aid for Latin America and Caribbean in 2026 Brussels, 6 February 2026 In a year of shrinking global aid, the EU is choosing solidarity, delivering life-saving aid and standing by international humanitarian law. This year, it will provide €123,3 million in humanitarian aid to deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean. Part of this aid will also bolster disaster preparedness and response, given the region's high exposure to natural hazards. In 2025, 15.6 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean were identified as needing humanitarian assistance. In 2026, because of severe budget cuts, the revised target presented in the United Nations is set to reduce this figure by half, leaving millions without vital aid. These cutbacks underscore the critical importance of the EU humanitarian aid for the region. €52 million will provide relief to the Venezuelan people in need in the region, wherever they are, and their host communities. In Colombia , €17 million will mostly be allocated to support people affected by armed conflict, as well as people displaced in border areas. Additionally, a regional allocation of over €16.3 million for the rest of South America will support disaster preparedness and response to humanitarian crises in the region. In the Caribbean , €23 million will be used to address the humanitarian impact of escalating armed violence in Haiti , helping affected populations meet their most urgent needs. An additional €4 million will be awarded to the rest of the Caribbean, with a particular focus on the humanitarian situation in Cuba and in the Dominican Republic as well as in countries hosting refugees and asylum seekers. Finally, €11 million will support vulnerable people affected by violence, forced displacement, and food insecurity in Central America and Mexico. Background Latin America and the Caribbean face complex humanitarian crises driven by factors such as armed conflicts, widespread violence, political instability, displacement, socio-economic crises and environmental hazards. Up to 21 million people are forcibly displaced in the region, with limited access to essential services like healthcare and education. Food insecurity is on the rise, while humanitarian operations are being scaled back globally due to funding cuts. Many crises in the region are forgotten, and humanitarian response capacities are severely limited by a dramatic funding gap. Almost all the Humanitarian Response Plans in the region in 2025 were funded at less than 20%. Furthermore, the region is the second most exposed to extreme weather events in the world, with nearly three quarters of the population living in high-risk disaster areas. In the aftermath of these events, communities are destroyed, and people are forced to flee their homes, resulting in cyclical fragility and increasing humanitarian needs. For more information EU humanitarian aid in Venezuela EU humanitarian aid in Colombia EU humanitarian aid in South America EU humanitarian aid in Central America and Mexico EU humanitarian aid in Haiti EU humanitarian aid in the Caribbean IP/26/315 Quote(s): "The European Union stands firmly with the most vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean, where crises in countries like Venezuela, Colombia, and Haiti continue to deepen. When I visited Colombia last November, I met people forced to flee their homes and communities struggling to survive conflict, displacement, and more frequent natural disasters. I saw how EU humanitarian aid provides food, water, shelter, and medical supplies to people in their darkest moment. This funding will also help save lives by strengthening disaster preparedness in a region exposed to hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. I saw this clearly in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, where preparedness made a real difference for thousands of families. Europe is a reliable and principled humanitarian partner, and we will continue to stand by people in crisis." Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Press contacts: Eva HRNCIROVA (+32 2 29 88433) Quentin CORTES (+32 2 29 13283) General public inquiries: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 67 89 10 11 or by email

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