The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported this Thursday that Spain will allocate “the largest package of humanitarian action in emergencies” for the war in Ukraine, a “unprecedented” contingent of 31 million euros that will materialize in aid to organizations on the ground and material for health, food security, nutrition, water, shelter, sanitation and protection.
In a statement, it indicates that it is “a historic endowment” that will be channeled through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) in order to respond “to the appeals of the United Nations and other international organizations”.
This action includes “an extraordinary call for grants of humanitarian actions” for the NGOs that operate in the zone, it indicates in the note.
The Government estimates that at least 12 million people will require humanitarian assistance In the next weeks.
The aid fund will be divided into 23 million for Ukraine and 8 million for neighboring host countries and “the provision of an emergency hospital for its eventual deployment in bordering countries” is planned, adds Foreign Affairs.
The priority sectors on which Spain’s humanitarian aid is focused are: health, food security, nutrition, water and sanitation, and protection and shelter.
It will also act in education, livelihoods and logistics, coordination and communication tasks with the humanitarian organizations deployed in the area.
After the first shipment to Polandon March 2, of 20 tons of material for humanitarian aid, in the next few days a new convoy with 30 tons will leave for Moldova, as well as a second shipment destined for Ukraine mainly with medicines and medical supplies.
The latter, worth almost one million euros, will be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
Foreign Ministry clarifies that “more direct aid as the needs of Ukraine and of the weaker countries in the surrounding area materialize”.
The department headed by José Manuel Albares explains that, in this way, “contributions to international organizations” such as UNHCR, UNICEF, UNFPA Red Cross worth 25 million euros for the care of the internally displaced population and refugees, “in response to appeals made by the organizations themselves”.
Additionally, one million euros will go to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) to cover different emergencies, with special attention to vulnerable people.
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The humanitarian action plan also provides support for Spanish NGOs, for which three million euros are set aside to carry out an extraordinary call for subsidies for humanitarian actions on the terrain.
Foreign Affairs clarifies that it has enabled a link on the official page of the AECID “in view of the high number of offers of help by Spanish society” with “useful information to channel the help of individuals, companies and institutions” so that “it arrives and is useful”.