Today, at the request of Federal Chancellor Kurz, Vice-Chancellor Kogler and Foreign Minister Schallenberg, the Federal Government released the largest disbursement from the Foreign Disaster Fund (FDF) for the work of Austrian NGOs in the fight against humanitarian disasters: a total of 13.5 million euros will be made available to Austrian non-governmental organisations for their projects in Africa, the Middle East as well as Ukraine. With this disbursement, the government significantly increases the planning security of Austrian NGOs and thus ensures additional quality in Austrian humanitarian aid.
With the substantial increase in the Foreign Disaster Fund last year, we have created the basis to significantly increase our aid on site and thus help thousands of people. In doing so, we are living up to our Christian social responsibility,
said Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
With the release of the largest disbursement from the Foreign Disaster Fund (FDF) for the work of Austrian NGOs in the Council of Ministers, the Federal Government had now taken the next step.
The government will quadruple funding for humanitarian aid to 60 million annually by 2024 compared to 2019. We attach particular importance to aid for women, children, the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities in crisis areas. The annual programme for crisis missions by Austrian aid organisations will significantly increase the planning ability and continuity of this enormously important humanitarian aid,
explains Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler.
The EUR 13.5 million approved today will be used by Austrian NGOs for on-site aid and will benefit Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique (all EUR 2 million each) and Burkina Faso (EUR 1 million) in Africa; in the Middle East, EUR 2.5 million each will go to Lebanon and Jordan, and EUR 1.5 million is earmarked for eastern Ukraine.
These countries have been badly shaken for years by natural disasters, famine, armed conflicts and refugee movements; the humanitarian situation is catastrophic and has been further fuelled by the consequences of the pandemic,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
Especially in the Horn of Africa, he said, there was a threat of a domino effect if Ethiopia could not be stabilised. “The Austrian NGOs working on the ground can safely continue their projects with the disbursement and make a decisive difference for the people,” said the Foreign Minister.
In 2021, the Federal Government will provide a total of EUR 52.5 million through the Foreign Disaster Fund (FDF) for disaster situations abroad. The disbursement of EUR 13.5 million is one of the largest disbursements since the fund was established and will be handled by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).
