In early September 2023, a severe earthquake struck Morocco. Almost 3,000 people were killed, and many others were injured. Thousands of people lost their homes, families and jobs. The Foreign Ministry allocated EUR 50 thousand in humanitarian aid to an earthquake-stricken Morocco, transferring the funds to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The organisation provides essential health services, clean water, sanitation, hygiene, food, and protection to earthquake victims in areas that are difficult to access.
Libya was devastated by catastrophic flooding that hit eastern Libya in early September 2023. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), more than 11,000 people were killed, and more than 43,000 people were displaced. They need full assistance. Considering the disaster's scale and the affected people's needs, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry decided to allocate EUR 50 thousand in humanitarian aid to Libya under the Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion Programme. The funds will be transferred to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). The UN body aims to strengthen the international response to complex emergencies and natural disasters.
Humanitarian aid was also allocated to Slovenia, which was ravaged by record floods in September this year. The floods caused rivers to rise and break out into fields and towns, destroying roads and energy infrastructure. Due to heavy rain, 181 municipalities out of 212 were affected, seven major and regional bridges collapsed, 8 thousand people were evacuated, and more than 400 buildings were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. The reconstruction and restoration work is ongoing. Lithuania's Foreign Ministry allocated EUR 50 thousand in humanitarian aid to the Slovenian Government.
