DG ECHO

DG ECHO was established in 1992 as the humanitarian aid office of the European Commission and has since become one of the world’s largest institutional humanitarian donors, operating across more than 90 countries. It provides funding exclusively through operational partners — UN agencies, international NGOs, and the Red Cross — without implementing programmes directly. Its mandate encompasses emergency relief, disaster preparedness, and resilience-building for populations affected by conflict, natural disasters, or chronic crises.

Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, DG ECHO scaled up its Ukraine response to an unprecedented level, committing over €1.09 billion in humanitarian assistance by early 2025 — making Ukraine one of the largest single-country envelopes in its history. Funding covers multi-sector needs including emergency health care, WASH, shelter and non-food items, protection (including GBV), and food security. DG ECHO has maintained consistent engagement across frontline and hard-to-reach areas, and supports CARE Deutschland and other partners through annual humanitarian implementation plans.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) funds emergency relief and civil protection in crisis-affected countries worldwide. It is the EU’s principal humanitarian arm, channelling aid through NGO partners, UN agencies, and the Red Cross movement, with a mandate covering all phases of humanitarian response.

Ukraine Commitment

One of the largest single humanitarian donors to Ukraine since February 2022, having committed over €1.09 billion in humanitarian assistance by early 2025, covering health, WASH, shelter, protection, and food security across government- and non-government-controlled territories.