Sahel

Introduction

The Sahel is one of the most conflict-ridden regions in the world. Deteriorating security is exacerbated by increasingly extreme weather, deep poverty, and unprecedented food insecurity and malnutrition.

Over 17% of the Sahel’s population of 98 million needs humanitarian assistance. Out of the 17 million people in need, the majority are women and children.

In a context of increasing needs but overall reduction in development and humanitarian funding the EU maintains its steadfast support to humanitarian partners on the ground. 

The EU provides humanitarian support in the following Sahel countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.

EU humanitarian funding:

What are the needs?

Violence and conflict are the main drivers of humanitarian needs in the Sahel. Between persistent insecurity, exactions, recurrent food and nutrition crisis, climatic shocks and very high economic vulnerability, its population is facing formidable challenges. They are clearly overwhelming existing response capacities. 

An unprecedented number of people in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger need protection and humanitarian assistance. 7.4 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes while 1.6 million have returned to their places of origin but often lack security, services, and work opportunities.

The deterioaration is due to several factors

Conflict from Central Sahel has been spilling over into coastal countries which are witnessing more violent incidents, with some 270,000 forcibly displaced people. 

Violence and displacement are intensifying in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, spilling into Mauritania and coastal West Africa. 

The Sudan conflict is also causing a mass influx of refugees and returnees into eastern Chad. 

Host communities generously share their resources with uprooted people, but their solidarity may not be sustainable in the absence of humanitarian assistance and durable solutions. EU humanitarian assistance takes the needs of host communities into consideration, also to prevent conflicts.

Blockades are disrupting local markets, leading to shortages of essential goods and high inflation. Limited availability of life-saving essential supplies such as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to treat children with severe acute malnutrition further aggravates the burden. 

Basic services such as health and education are disrupted by violence. About 10,250 schools remain closed, with over 1.7 million children out of school and at risk of exploitation and abuse.  Child protection and gender-based violence are major concerns. Healthcare is also affected, with hundreds of health facilities not functioning.

Despite skyrocketing needs, insecurity, administrative constraints and national legislation are hampering humanitarian workers’ access to people in need.

How are we helping?

The EU is one of the largest donors of humanitarian aid to the Sahel. In 2026, the EU humanitarian assistance to the Sahel region stands at €151.28 million.

The EU provides aid to both displaced people and host communities and supports people affected by conflict and insecurity. Besides enabling a rapid response to sudden emergencies and population displacements, it helps provide:

In addition, EU funding ensures safe access to education for children affected by armed conflict. 
EU-funded mobile teams are equipped to respond to the protection needs of newly displaced populations. 

They provide psychological first aid and identify particularly vulnerable people requiring assistance.
 

During the lean season when food stocks run low, the EU prioritises food assistance to displaced populations, to areas with crisis levels of food insecurity and to hard-to-reach areas.

After years of funding better integrated nutrition care, the EU continues to support the early detection and treatment of severe acute undernutrition in children under 5.

The Sahel continues to be an epidemics hot spot which is why the EU funds outbreak control and prevention and helps fund vaccination efforts. More generally, the EU supports the continuity of primary health care for affected populations where emergency needs remain uncovered by the governments or other donors. 

In addition, to help countries better prepare for and reduce the impact of natural hazards and their effects on food availability and cattle stocks  in the region, EU humanitarian funding covers disaster risk reduction initiatives.