The Commission has committed €9 million for disaster preparedness initiatives in Madagascar, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. The funding will also help to promote effective humanitarian action at regional level. The Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region is frequently affected by natural disasters that hit the most vulnerable populations, causing casualties and population displacement. Climate change has made these disasters less predictable, increasing their frequency, intensity and magnitude. "Natural disasters pose a recurring threat to this region and may jeopardise the beneficial impact our assistance has had on those in need. The EU therefore invests in assisting communities to be better prepared to withstand and respond, so that they never have to start from zero after a disaster strikes," said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.
Source: European Commission