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• 拢36 million in UK funding committed聽to聽provide emergency care to聽those聽enduring聽conflict in Ukraine and Syria and food shortages in East Africa
• the UK continues to聽be a global leader supporting vulnerable people experiencing devastating聽conflict, extreme weather and lasting impacts of the pandemic
• tributes paid to aid workers helping to deal with unprecedented humanitarian catastrophes, caused by global instability and exacerbated by Putin鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine

People whose lives have been upended聽by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drought and food shortages in East Africa, and聽conflict in Syria will be among those to benefit from 拢36 million in UK humanitarian funding聽announced today.

The announcement comes on (Friday 19 August) as parts of the globe come under increasing strain from聽lasting effects of the pandemic, the increasing impact of climate change, and聽conflicts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Local aid workers are at the forefront of the聽effort聽to alleviate the disastrous consequences of these crises聽as they provide humanitarian assistance for communities聽across the world.聽The UK鈥檚 funding announcement will support them聽to continue their essential work.

In Ukraine and Poland,聽where the majority of Ukrainians who have fled the conflict have travelled,聽拢15 million in聽UK funding will support up to 200,000 of the most vulnerable impacted by Russia鈥檚 invasion.聽This includes children,聽older people and those with disabilities.聽International aid organisation Mercy Corps will work with grassroots civil society groups to provide emergency assistance聽to cover basic needs,聽including food, water and sanitation, psychological support and childcare services.

In聽East Africa,聽where severe food insecurity threatens over 48 million people,聽the UK has allocated an additional 拢14 million to the countries on the frontline of the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crisis. This new spending,聽which will work immediately to save lives and prevent more people experiencing famine-like conditions,聽includes:

• a 拢5 million boost to the UK Somalia programme, which is providing life-saving health, nutrition, food security and water and sanitation assistance to over half a million people in some of the most vulnerable families
• 拢6 million for the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund which will provide vital assistance to under-funded emergencies across Ethiopia, including drought and conflict-affected regions
• 拢3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to the World Food Programme, Sudan, helping reach approximately 120,000 vulnerable people with food assistance

Minister of State for South and Central Asia, North Africa, UN and the Commonwealth and the Prime Minister鈥檚 Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

In 2022 millions more people are now in desperate need of humanitarian support.

UK funding聽is ensuring that聽the UN and local partners聽can聽reach聽those affected by聽Russian aggression in聽Ukraine,聽drought in聽East Africa聽and ongoing conflicts in聽Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. We thank those on the ground who so often risk their own lives to help and protect them.

Britain has a proud humanitarian tradition, and we will continue to support the most vulnerable,聽wherever they are.

The Russian invasion is exacerbating the聽world聽food crisis, which is hitting the poorest hardest, particularly in East Africa.聽The UK and its allies have pushed hard for the UN grain initiative and the world is watching to ensure that Russia complies, so food continues to flow from Ukraine and feed the hungry.

The UK is also providing 拢1.5 million to deploy technology to identify whether grain sold by Russia on the world market has been stolen from Ukraine. A package of rail support to Ukraine will also ensure grain trains can run. Moreover, the UK is providing Ukraine with the military capability to help protect its ports, essential for the grain deal to be a success.

Minister for Africa Vicky Ford said:

In the Horn of Africa, around 700,000 people are experiencing famine conditions 鈥� and in Somalia over 386,000 children are projected to be severely malnourished and at risk of death by the end of the year.

UK aid in east Africa is providing life-saving support to the most vulnerable people in the hardest hit countries.

We must now bring new stakeholders to the table to strengthen our international action towards the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crisis today.

The UK is also announcing a 拢7 million package to support Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict to Lebanon, delivered through the World Food Programme. This funding will help provide more than 150,000 people with food, water and nutrition.聽This is part of the UK鈥檚 pledge聽to provide聽up to 拢158 million earlier this year at the Brussels Pledging Conference for the Syria Crisis, which will support food production, protect women and girls from violence and ensure humanitarian access to the North East of Syria, where the situation is deteriorating.

The UK is the third largest bilateral donor to the crisis in Syria, having committed over 拢3.8 billion to date in our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. This includes support to the governments of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to cope with the protracted refugee presence by supporting displaced Syrians until they can return safely to Syria.

Since 2012, across Syria and the region, the UK has provided:

• over 28.3 million food rations
• over 24 million medical consultations
• 6.3 million cash grants/vouchers
• 11 million relief packages
• over 15.2 million vaccines

Our aid provides life-saving support to millions of Syrians, supporting refugees to remain in countries in the region, and enabling their host communities to accommodate them.

The UK has consistently been one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors globally and have been at the forefront of driving more effective and innovative approaches to crisis prevention, preparedness, and response.鈥燬ince 2015, the UK has reached聽32.6 million people with humanitarian aid, saving lives and alleviating suffering in places like Syria, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan.

Now in Ukraine, the UK is working alongside trusted partners to deliver its 拢220 million humanitarian pledge.

Mercy Corps Ukraine Response Director, Michael Young, said:

In Ukraine and Poland, we have partnered directly with local organisations that know their community needs best and are working quickly to deliver humanitarian aid.

With this funding, our partners will continue to deliver emergency聽assistance聽and ship essential supplies such as food and hygiene items to people affected by heavy fighting,聽as well as providing reliable information on where to access basic services, safe routes, legal rights for refugees and people displaced inside Ukraine.