Humanitarian & Emergency Response
The EU is the world’s largest donor of humanitarian aid, providing assistance to crisis zones, countries facing post-conflict instability and countries dealing with ‘forgotten crises’.
The third progress report on the implementation of the European Union Global Strategy, “The EU Global Strategy in Practice - Three years on, looking forward” looks at the progress achieved over the past three years, since the presentation of the Global Strategy in June 2016, in five priority areas - the security of the Union, state and social resilience to our east and south, an integrated approach to conflicts and crises, cooperative regional orders and global governance for the 21st century - and provides possible orientations for the way forward in the coming years.
34-year-old taxi driver Omar Musa, was amongst 40,000 Libyans who, together with his family, had to flee from the city of Tawergha after the 2011 revolution in Libya. People were living in dire conditions in camps spread across the country. Seven years later, Omar was finally able to return home. “When I arrived I was not aware of the danger that I faced. However, I found billboards and posters on the walls near the entrance of the city with emergency phone numbers to report any explosive remnants of war. I did not really understand what that meant at the time." Indeed, in such situations, the EU supports projects to raise awareness about unexploded ordnances and mines, and to help clear people’s properties so that they can return safely home.
A combination of a growing population and climate change makes water one of the most pressing challenges the world faces in the 21st century. The EU is committed to enhancing its diplomatic engagement to make water a tool for peace, rather than a source of tension. We shall use many means at our disposal to promote and protect the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.
EU High Representative Mogherini on 25 June presented EU foreign ministers with the second annual report on the implementation of the EU Global Strategy, outlining substantial progress in bolstering the EU's role as a global actor.
"Sexual violence against women, girls, men and boys is a despicable crime, and even more so when it occurs in vulnerable situations of conflict, or as a tactic of war. It is a grave violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, and must be fought with the strongest commitment" the EU stressed on International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
Josep Borrell takes office as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP).
