The support, which includes €46m in humanitarian assistance and €60m for development, will directly assist people affected by forced displacement, malnutrition, disease outbreaks and extreme climatic conditions in Sudan, the Commission said.
European commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management Christos Stylianides, who is currently visiting Sudan, said: “Here in Sudan the humanitarian situation continues to be critical. Millions have been displaced for many years in Darfur.
“Our new EU funding is crucial to respond to the needs of the increasing numbers of refugees, notably from South Sudan, and internally displaced people, as well as of the hosting communities.”
The Darfur crisis started in 2003 when rebel groups began fighting the government. Since then, 2.7 million people have uprooted in the region alone.
The number of refugees has increased over the last years, especially since the South Sudanese civil war started in 2013, and more than 180,000 people from the area have sought refuge in Sudan since the beginning of 2017.
The €60m for development will support displaced persons, migrants and host communities and implement pilot projects within the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.
The €46m will help respond to the needs of food, nutrition, health, protection, shelter, education, water and sanitation; €13m of this is part of an emergency assistance package announced in March this year.
The EU assistance in Sudan is handed over to humanitarian and development organisations, with no funding going through the government.
Neven Mimica, commissioner for international cooperation and development, said: “The European Union is committed to directly support the people of Sudan.
“Our new development aid will boost our ongoing efforts through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. It addresses the needs of the most vulnerable Sudanese communities and offer livelihood opportunities, by better linking the EU's humanitarian and development work in Sudan.”
In the past six years the EU has mobilised €422m in assistance to people in Sudan.
In August, the African Development Bank granted $78m to Somalia and South Sudan for drought resilience and the alleviation of chronic hunger and malnutrition.
