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Austria provides EUR 2 million for Ethiopia and Uganda

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East Africa plagued by locusts

In the Council of Ministers on 29 July 2020, the Federal Government will decide to allocate two million euros from the Foreign Disaster Fund (FDF) for aid projects of Austrian NGOs to mitigate the consequences of the plague of locusts in Ethiopia and Uganda. “Aid on the ground is a central component of Austrian foreign policy,” stated Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg on the occasion of the aid package to be adopted today in the Council of Ministers.

Since the beginning of the year, East Africa has been struggling with the worst plague of locusts in 60 years. Huge swarms of locusts are destroying the food production in large parts of the region, threatening the existence of millions of people. Ethiopia and Uganda, two priority countries of Austrian Development Cooperation, are particularly hard hit. The precarious humanitarian situation of the population is becoming increasingly aggravated by the plague.

We are supporting Ethiopia and Uganda with two million euros in order to counteract the massive food shortage directly on the ground and therefore give the people hope for the future in their region again,

said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

More than 13 million euros already made available

In 2020, Austria has already provided more than 13 million euros for aid on the ground. In humanitarian aid, Austria has reliable partners such as the International Red Cross and UNICEF to ensure that support is provided where it is most needed and most effective. The money from the Foreign Disaster Fund (FDF) is handled by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA).