The European Union releases €200,000 to support communities affected by drought in Indonesia
The European Union releases €200,000 to support communities affected by drought in Indonesia
Jakarta, 14 October 2026 – The European Union (EU) is allocating €200,000 (approximately IDR 4 billion) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by the prolonged drought. The aid will benefit around 200,000 people across the most affected regions, notably by maintaining access to safe water and reducing related health risks.
This EU funding will support the Indonesian Red Cross Society in distributing water through water tankers and pick-up vehicles, promoting hygiene and supporting safe water collection and storage. In locations experiencing poor air quality, medical masks will be distributed, as well as oxygen concentrators to selected health facilities.
The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
As drought conditions have worsen in Indonesia during 2026, prolonged rainfall deficits have reduced water availability across parts of Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. Dry conditions also contribute to public-health risks, including dehydration, heat-related illness, and, in selected locations, deteriorating air quality associated with smoke due to wildfires.
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Background
The EU and its Member States are amongst the world’s leading donors of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent, and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.
Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department, the EU helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.
The European Commission has signed a €16 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF).
The DREF was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. The IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can be replenished by the donors.