February 13, 2024

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European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Armenia and Azerbaijan

Introduction

The 6-week-long 2020 war in and around Nagorno-Karabakh resulted in severe consequences for the inhabitants of the region.

Last year, the escalation and subsequent ceasefire led to mass exodus of people from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Thousands of vulnerable refugees require humanitarian aid in Armenia, but also in Nagorno-Karabakh as some of the most vulnerable people have not managed to leave.

What are the needs

As a result of Azerbaijan's military operation in September 2023 in Nagorno-Karabakh and of the previous months-long blockage of the Lachin corridor, more than 100,000 Karabakh Armenians have fled to Armenia.

The 6-week-long war in 2020 had also repercussions in Armenia, where border areas with Azerbaijan have faced regular exchange of hostilities.

How are we helping?

In response to the escalation of hostilities and thousands of people fleeing from Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, the EU provided over €12 million in humanitarian aid to support the most vulnerable. In 2024, the EU strengthened its humanitarian operations in Armenia with additional €5.5 million.

With this funding, the EU aims to assist vulnerable people inside Nagorno-Karabakh and those displaced to Armenia. Our funding will ensure they receive access to basic needs, health care, shelter, food, livelihoods assistance and protection.

Since the outbreak of the war in and around Nagorno Karabakh in 2020, the European Commission has allocated €38.4 million in humanitarian aid to provide emergency support to the affected people.

EU humanitarian assistance includes:

• food
• hygiene and household items
• multi-purpose cash assistance
• shelter
• education in emergency
• health and psychosocial support
• medical equipment
• other urgent assistance.

The EU's humanitarian relief operations have addressed early recovery aid to help conflict-affected people rebuild their lives by providing livelihoods. These operations also ensured much-needed humanitarian demining in populated areas and has provided mine risk education to people at risk.

EU humanitarian funding is provided in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

The European Commission also plays a key role in facilitating humanitarian coordination and information sharing among various organisations, including donors, authorities, and humanitarian partners.

EU humanitarian aid is complementary to the support to the conflict-affected population provided by the respective governments.

Facts & Figures

196,000 people need humanitarian aid due to the escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenia Refugee Response Plan)

EU humanitarian funding:

€5.5 million in 2024 for Armenia

€32.9 million since 2020

For more information: civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/europe/armenia-and-azerbaijan_en#introduction