European Union Provides €135,000 Amid Ongoing Repatriation Exercise In Djibouti

In response to growing humanitarian needs following the Government of Djibouti's directive on 3rd April 2025 of a one-month voluntary repatriation programme for irregular migrants, the European Union is providing €135,000 in humanitarian aid to support the urgent needs of those affected.

The EU funding is supporting the efforts of the Djibouti Red Crescent Society (DRCS) in delivering much-needed relief, including emergency shelter, clean water, food, protection, health and sanitation support to over 22,000 people.

The emergency response project will run for three months, until the end of September 2025. The funding is part of the EU's overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Background

The European Union and its Member States are the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department , the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a €12 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to“small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €12 million.

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