Through the EIB Institute, the EIB has donated €50 000 to help the victims of the twin cyclones and earthquake that struck Vanuatu in March 2023 impacting nearly all of the country’s inhabitants.

According to the National Disaster Management Office, these events have affected around 250,000 people, more than 80% of the population or 30,000 households in six provinces , including more than 58 000 children under 15.

On 5 March, the country declared a six-month national state of emergency.

The funds will be channelled through UNICEF and will be used to help the children impacted by these natural disasters return to school as soon as possible.

Vanuatu is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and is regularly affected by cyclones during the rainy season from November to April.

The Institute regularly makes grants for purposes of disaster relief and donations of EIB decommissioned IT equipment.