Introduction
More than one quarter of Mali’s population, 6.4 million people, need urgent humanitarian assistance, with catastrophic hunger predicted in the conflict-affected north and central regions of the country.
Mali’s complex crisis is marked by insecurity resulting in population displacements and people stranded in conflict-affected or blockaded areas, as well as instability, socio-political tensions, climate shocks, and epidemics.
Violations of human rights and international humanitarian law are increasingly prevalent. As a leading donor, the EU continues its efforts to reach the most vulnerable Malians in need in the hardest-to-reach areas with humanitarian aid.
What are the needs?
The political, economic and security situation in Mali, which has been under military rule since August 2020, is expected to continue deteriorating throughout 2025.
In addition to conflict, the economic downturn, characterised by rising inflation, stagnant production, and trade barriers, is causing food shortages, and impacting people’s livelihoods.
Of Mali’s 6.4 million people in need, more than 1.2 million face critical circumstances, including over 378,000 who are internally displaced. Multiple displacements to urban centres contribute to a protracted displacement situation. Other displacement dynamics affect Mali, with over 93,000 Burkinabe refugees also taking shelter there.
In 2025, it is estimated that almost 1.51 million people will be in a situation of acute food insecurity, and 2.8 million people will need emergency nutritional assistance to ensure their survival. Pockets of famine and high levels of acute malnutrition have been reported, especially among displaced people in northern and central Mali and those cut off from aid in areas under blockade.
With 1 out of 4 health facilities in the north and centre not functioning due to insecurity and lack of staff and supplies, an estimated 3.7 million people need help to access healthcare.
The violence also affects the education system: 1,984 schools are closed, leaving over 595,000 children out of school.
Since 2012, conflict in Mali has affected millions of civilians with a continuous increase in violence since 2018 and severe violations of international humanitarian law. In 2025, 3.1 million people require protection assistance, doubling the number from 2024.
How are we helping?
The EU is a leading donor of assistance to people in need in Mali. Since 2012, the EU has provided almost €526 million in humanitarian aid in-country, with an initial allocation of €19.8 million for 2025. Last year, EU humanitarian aid amounted to €34.7 million at the end of 2024.
EU humanitarian aid in Mali addresses the most urgent needs of displaced and vulnerable populations in conflict-affected and fragile areas. In response to the increasing humanitarian needs and access constraints, EU humanitarian aid focuses both on internally displaced persons and on people trapped in conflict zones with limited supplies and social services. The EU considers the protection of civilians as a central focus of its needs-based and conflict-sensitive response.
Its support covers overall (i) food assistance, (ii) essential household items and emergency shelter, (iii) health and nutrition care, (iv) protection and psychosocial support, (v) education for children, as well as (vi) humanitarian coordination and the transportation of humanitarian workers and supplies to remote and inaccessible locations.
The EU-supported rapid response mechanism aimed at supporting newly displaced people, provides food assistance and basic shelter, restores access to drinking water, and dispenses essential household items to newly displaced persons. In addition to basic needs, the mechanism provides rapid responses in health, protection, and education.
Additionally, emergency food aid is being provided to populations facing severe food insecurity during the lean season. Our partners deliver health and nutrition care to the most vulnerable in areas where such care is otherwise unavailable or inaccessible, including essential medicines and treatment. Moreover, every year, the EU contributes to addressing severe acute malnutrition across the country by funding the purchase and supply of therapeutic food and essential medicines for affected children.
Other EU-funded organisations provide protection and education to displaced and out-of-school children. Where and when possible, assistance is delivered through cash transfers and vouchers, enabling people to buy what their households require the most.
The EU also helps to overcome the obstacles of a challenging operational environment by supporting the coordination of humanitarian actors, security analysis, logistics and aviation services. The EU contributes to the UN’s Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).
We aim to ensure coordination between actions addressing immediate humanitarian needs and projects that tackle the root causes of crises. Efforts are ongoing for ensuring that humanitarian and development aid can complement each other in Mali in a context of increasing constraints and complexification of the crisis. With EU aid, people in need build resilience to recurrent crises with time, making them less vulnerable in the future.
Last updated: 13/05/2025
Facts & figures
8th highest child mortality rate in the world (World Bank)
6.4 million people in need of humanitarian aid
More than 1.51 million people requiring emergency food assistance in 2025
424,500 children under five severely malnourished
378,300 people internally displaced
Over 318,577 refugees from Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso
854,000 returned refugees or displaced people (UNHCR, 31 March 2025)
EU humanitarian funding:
€19.8 million in 2025
€34.7 million in 2024
Almost €526 million since 2012