EU mobilizes international donors to support #Venezuela refugees and migrants and countries in the region

EU High Representative Josep Borrel

On 26 May, the European Union and the Spanish Government convened the International Donors’ Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants and countries in the region, with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). International donors pledged a total of €2.544 billion (of which €595 million in grants), with the European Union and its member states mobilising €231.7m in grant funding.

The European Commission pledged €144.2m for immediate humanitarian assistance, medium- and longer-term development assistance and conflict prevention interventions. The European Investment Bank announced €400m in additional loans to the region. High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell (pictured) said: “The European Union has never forgotten the Venezuelan people. We have mobilized the international community to deliver further assistance to millions of displaced Venezuelans and those countries in Latin America that host them. I thank international donors for their generous pledges. Today we have also been able to bring back to the limelight one of the worst displacement crisis that the world has seen in recent history.”

Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič said: “The coronavirus pandemic threatens to worsen an already critical situation in the region. The EU’s humanitarian support will help focus on getting emergency assistance to around 5 million Venezuelans who have been forced to leave their homes.” Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, said: “Our collective commitment demonstrates the importance of partnership around the world to tackle challenges such as the Venezuelan migration crisis, also amidst the coronavirus pandemic. We will pursue our efforts to cement the humanitarian-development nexus and build lasting partnerships for sustainable development.”

Audiovisual coverage is available on EbS. The full press release and a factsheet are available online.

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