Dhaka: As more and more refugees arrive in Bangladesh from Myanmar, the European Commission has announced additional humanitarian aid of €3 million to address the most pressing needs of Rohingya civilians.

The funding comes on top of the €12 million announced in May 2017 when Commissioner Stylianides visited Rakhine State in Myanmar.

The European Commission is providing further emergency humanitarian aid as the situation continues to be critical.

This additional funding will help provide emergency shelter, water, food and health assistance for newly arrived refugees in Bangladesh and people in need in Myanmar, as soon as humanitarian access to the latter is restored.

The EC continues to call for full humanitarian access and the respect for international human rights law in Myanmar.

The immediate restoration of humanitarian assistance in northern Rakhine State is needed in order to address what is already a precarious humanitarian situation, and to avoid an escalation of the crisis.

‘I thank the government and people of Bangladesh for their hospitality in sheltering many refugees. The European Union remains committed to support those who are forced to flee their homes during these difficult times’, said the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides.

The EU has been providing humanitarian support in Myanmar and Bangladesh for many years.

Since 1994, the European Commission has provided €232 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar.

Total EU humanitarian aid to Bangladesh since 2007 amounts to €153.6 million.