European Commission - Daily News Daily News 26 / 02 / 2026 Brussels, 26 February 2026 EU announces €63 million for Somalia to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis The European Union has announced €63 million in humanitarian funding to support the most vulnerable communities across Somalia impacted by ongoing conflict and displacement in the country, as well as worsening drought and soaring food prices. This a...
European Commission - Daily News Daily News 26 / 02 / 2026 Brussels, 26 February 2026 EU announces €63 million for Somalia to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis The European Union has announced €63 million in humanitarian funding to support the most vulnerable communities across Somalia impacted by ongoing conflict and displacement in the country, as well as worsening drought and soaring food prices. This announcement comes as drought related food insecurity and malnutrition rates are surging nationwide in Somalia, with 6.5 million people (around one in three Somalis) facing hunger and an estimated 1.85 million children under the age of five at risk of acute malnutrition. The EU funding will prioritise life-saving integrated health and nutrition services, including the treatment of severe/acute malnutrition, emergency cash assistance, water, sanitation, protection and emergency education. The aid will be delivered through trusted EU humanitarian partners operating on the ground, ensuring aid reaches those most affected in a timely, inclusive and effective manner. To further coordinate the emergency response to the growing food crisis, the EU is participating today at Global Leadership Roundtable following Somalia's activation of its ‘ Food Security Crisis Preparedness Plan. ' Together with this new funding, the EU has provided over €750 million in humanitarian aid to Somalia since 2017. At a time when humanitarian programmes are severely affected by global aid cuts, the EU remains committed to provide emergency relief to the most vulnerable people in Somalia . More information about the EU's humanitarian assistance can be found online. ( For more information: Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Anna Gray – Tel.: +32 2 298 08 73 ) Commission welcomes the political agreement for a broader European Globalisation Adjustment Fund supporting workers The Commission welcomes the political agreement reached by the European Parliament and EU Member States on its proposal to strengthen the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). The EGF is an EU solidarity instrument for workers who have lost their job due to major restructuring, for instance the closing of a factory or the bankruptcy of a company. The fund contributes directly to creating a more dynamic and competitive European economy. It helps workers by improving their skills and making it easier for them to find new jobs. It offers tailored packages of services : workers receive personalised support to acquire the skills needed to move into new roles or jobs, helping them navigate economic and industrial transitions. Since 2007, the EGF has intervened in 186 cases, allocating €727 million helping 181,167 people in 20 different Member States. According to Commission data for 2023-2024, 81% of these dismissed workers have found a new job within 18 months of receiving EGF support. More information is available in the press release . (For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Eirini Zarkadoula - Tel.: +32 2 295 70 65) Commission clears acquisition of Prosol Group by Apollo Funds The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of sole control of the Prosol Group SAS of France by Apollo Capital Management, L.P (‘Apollo Funds') of the US. The transaction relates primarily to the retail market for fresh food. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that the companies are not active in the same or vertically related markets. The notified transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website , in the public case register under the case number M.12291 . (For more information: Ricardo Cardoso – Tel.: +32 2 298 01 00; Paula Clara Ritter-Moschütz – Tel.: +32 2 296 40 83) ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Brunner in North Macedonia to strengthen cooperation on security, migration and border management Tomorrow, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner , will travel to North Macedonia to engage with national authorities on cooperation in the areas of internal affairs, migration management, border security, the fight against organised crime and the rule of law. This marks his third visit to the region after visiting Albania and Montenegro earlier this month, and attending the Western Balkans Ministerial meeting last October. The visit underlines the European Union's strong commitment to deepening cooperation with the Western Balkans and to supporting countries in the region in their efforts to strengthen security and make progress on their European integration path. Commissioner Brunner will meet the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mucunski, the Minister of Interior, Pance Toshkovski and the Minister for European Affairs, Bekim Sali. Discussions will focus on North Macedonia's ongoing accession process and in particular on ‘Chapter 24', which covers justice, freedom and security, including migration, border management, asylum, police cooperation and the fight against organised crime. The meetings will also address the EU Entry/Exit System , a large-scale IT system designed to register the entry and exit of third-country nationals crossing the external borders of the Schengen area . The Commissioner will also attend the official signing of the agreement between the Government of North Macedonia and Plazma Youth Sports Games, to kick off Youth Sports Games in North Macedonia. These are the biggest sports games for youth in Europe, with more than 200,000 children participating annually. (For more information: Markus Lammert – Tel.: +32 2 296 75 33; Fiorella Boigner – Tel.: +32 2 299 37 34) APPOINTMENTS Commission transfers, in the interest of the service a Head of Representation in Vilnius Today, the European Commission decided to transfer, in the interest of the service, Rytis Martikonis as Head of Representation in Vilnius, Lithuania. In this function, he will act as the official representative of the European Commission in Lithuania under the political authority of President Ursula von der Leyen . This decision will take effect on 1 July 2026. With over 30 years of experience, Mr Martikonis has steered high-level diplomatic engagements, overseen strategic communications, and managed large multidisciplinary teams in complex political environments. Throughout his career, Mr Martikonis has developed a profound understanding of European affairs, fostering consensus among diverse EU and national stakeholders. He has also demonstrated strong communication skills, ensuring clear, precise and consistent messaging that effectively advances EU priorities and supports coherent policy narratives. These skills, combined with his in-depth knowledge of the Lithuanian political context, make him particularly well suited to serve as Representative of the European Commission in Vilnius. Mr Martikonis, a Lithuanian national, is currently Chair of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB), a position he has held for the past four years. From 1 March, he will assume the role of Hors Classe Adviser for Democratic Resilience at the Directorate-General for Communication. Previously, he served as Director-General of the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT). Before joining the Commission in 2011, Mr Martikonis worked on European affairs in national administration in Lithuania, and was also a member of the Convention on the Future of the European Union. For more information, see our dedicated press release . (For more information: Balazs Ujvari - Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Isabel Otero Barderas - Tel.: +32 2 296 69 25) Tentative agendas for forthcoming Commission meetings Note that these items can be subject to changes. Upcoming events of the European Commission Eurostat press releases Calendar items of the President and Commissioners Individual calendars of the President and Commissioners MEX/26/483
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