The European Commission has released nearly €11 million to support humanitarian aid and strengthen disaster preparedness across Asia in 2026.
More than €8.7 million of the funding will go towards disaster preparedness initiatives across the region, with most of that coming through a €7 million regional allocation covering ASEAN countries, as well as Nepal and Sri Lanka, the European Commission said on Monday.
ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional bloc of 10 countries in South East Asia.
An additional €1.7 million has been set aside for country-specific disaster preparedness actions in Nepal.
The funding is set to support early warning systems, measures linked to climate and environmental resilience, and “shock-responsive social protection” mechanisms — systems designed to expand support quickly when a crisis hits.
In Nepal, the money will also support health emergency preparedness and anticipatory actions.
Aid for the Philippines and a Japan visit
A further €2 million has been allocated to humanitarian assistance in the Philippines, to support people affected by multiple disasters including tropical cyclones, as well as victims of conflict, the Commission informed.
The announcement was made as the European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, visits Japan this week to meet national and local authorities to discuss preparedness, disaster risk management and humanitarian aid.
Lahbib is due to visit Fukushima to mark the 15th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and travel to the Noto Peninsula, which was hit by an earthquake in 2024 that “claimed more than 240 lives.”
“Japan is a like-minded partner and a global leader in humanitarian action,” Lahbib said, adding that Japan’s experience in preparedness could help Europe “build stronger, more resilient societies.”
