Economic and Social Development

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Humanitarian aid programs provide support and relief to populations that are suffering in crises such as civil war, natural disasters etc. They involve transferring and distributing aid, helping refugees and internally displaced people in countries and areas where they have found shelter, repairing basic infrastructure, stabilizing the economy and social conditions. They are usually followed by longer-term programs for reconstruction and development. These programs are implemented in cooperation with, and monitored by, international organizations such as the UN (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs).

The International Development Cooperation Department (Hellenic Aid) of the Foreign Ministry of Greece, created in 2000, has the responsibility to finance urgent humanitarian aid, to overlook humanitarian and development programs in developing countries, and to promote volunteerism. HELLENIC AID works closely with NGOs and similar organizations and development networks in raising the awareness of Greek public opinion to humanitarian and development issues.

Over the last few years, Greece has been increasingly involved in humanitarian aid programs.