Introduction
The 6-week-long 2020 war in and around Nagorno-Karabakh resulted in severe consequences for the inhabitants of the region.
In 2023, the escalation and subsequent ceasefire led to the exodus of almost the entire Armenian population from the Karabakh enclave.
Currently, thousands of displaced Karabakh Armenians require humanitarian aid in Armenia, and a few people also in the Karabakh region, 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 fled to Armenia.
The war in 2020 also had repercussions in Armenia, where border areas with Azerbaijan faced regular exchange of hostilities. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has triggered a displacement crisis in the region, leaving thousands of people in need of basic support like:
- shelter
- food assistance
- access to health
How are we helping?
In response to the escalation of hostilities and thousands of people fleeing from 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 an additional €5.5 million, followed by a further €3 million in 2025.
With this allocation, the EU aims to provide support to those who have sought refuge in Armenia. Our funding will ensure they fulfil basic needs such as health care, shelter, food, livelihood assistance, and protection. In addition, EU funding will also promote and ensure the preparedness of local communities and systems for natural hazards and man-made crises and enhance the overall response for refugees.
Since the outbreak of the war in and around Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, the European Commission has allocated in total €38.4 million in humanitarian aid to provide emergency support to the affected people.
EU humanitarian assistance includes among others:
- food
- hygiene and household items
- multi-purpose cash assistance
- shelter
- education in emergencies
- health and psychosocial support
- medical equipment
The EU’s humanitarian relief operations support early recovery aid to help conflict-affected people rebuild their lives by providing vocational training, as well as reinforced the overwhelmed national social system to address the basic needs of the most vulnerable.
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.
Embedded in the Nexus approach, strengthening humanitarian, development, and peace sectors, the EU humanitarian aid is complementary to the support to the conflict-affected populations provided by the respective governments, the European Delegation in Armenia, and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST).
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:
€3 million in 2025 for Armenia
€5.5 million in 2024 for Armenia
€38.4 million since 2020
Last updated: 11/07/2025