EU Allocates Additional €3 Million to Artsakh Population

The European Commission announced today the allocation of €3 million in humanitarian aid to support the civilian population affected by the recent large-scale military operations in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, including a significant number of displaced persons. According to Armenpress, with the efforts of the European Union, a total of €6.9 million has been mobilized in humanitarian aid since September 2020, when the military operations began.

“The humanitarian crisis in the region continues to worsen after the cessation of military operations, exacerbated currently by extreme winter conditions and the coronavirus pandemic. The EU is increasing its support for the affected population in Nagorno-Karabakh and its surroundings. This will help provide essential supplies in emergency situations to those in dire need,” stated EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič.

The newly announced support will assist EU humanitarian partner organizations in supplying food, winter supplies, ensuring shelter, addressing other needs, and providing necessary healthcare services and psychological support to the affected population.

EU humanitarian aid is provided in accordance with humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

“The recent armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which raged for six weeks continuously, left survivors, damages, and displaced persons in its wake. As a result of the fighting, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes for safety. Substantial damage was caused to residential buildings and public infrastructure, including schools, healthcare facilities, roads, and utility and communication networks. Targeting civilian infrastructure and the use of prohibited cluster munitions are among the alleged violations under international humanitarian law. Despite the ceasefire agreement signed on November 9, 2020, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the humanitarian situation remains concerning. The coronavirus pandemic and cold temperatures are further worsening the situation. The EU is in close contact with humanitarian partner organizations and other local stakeholders to support the coordination of humanitarian response,” the statement said.