The European Commission announced on Thursday the disbursement of an additional 10 million euros in humanitarian aid for Cuba.
The Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations of the European Union reported that the new aid package responds to the "ongoing deterioration of the humanitarian situation" on the island.
The funds will be allocated to medications, support for primary and maternal health centers, emergency food assistance, nutritional treatment for children and mothers, rehabilitation of water systems, logistical support to hard-to-reach areas, and renewable energy solutions.
The main beneficiaries will be elderly people, children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and communities in remote areas that are particularly hard hit by fuel shortages and the energy crisis.
Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Crisis Management and Preparedness, stated: "For communities in Cuba, daily life has become increasingly difficult, with energy shortages hindering access to basic supplies, healthcare, and other essential services. Once again, the EU demonstrates its solidarity with the Cuban people, with additional funding that will enable our partners to provide food, healthcare, drinking water, and other basic needs."
This new allocation raises the total committed by the EU to Cuba to at least 16 million euros for the year 2026: four million approved at the beginning of the year as a regional allocation for the Caribbean —mainly intended for the island—, an additional two million approved in April and the 10 million announced this Thursday.
This figure is complemented by nearly six million euros mobilized in 2025 for disaster preparedness and emergency response, largely due to the severe damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in the eastern part of the island.
All humanitarian aid from the EU is channeled exclusively through humanitarian partners operating on the ground, without going through the Cuban government.
The magnitude of the crisis prompting this response is without recent precedent. The National Electroenergetic System suffered its fourth total collapse of 2026 on July 10, when power outages in Havana averaged 15 hours daily and Matanzas accumulated up to 87 consecutive hours without electricity.
In April 2026, 461 out of 651 essential medicines —more than 70% of the basic supply— were out of stock in state pharmacies, and infant mortality rose to 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2025, more than double the rate in 2018, which was at 4.0.
The UN issued an emergency humanitarian appeal of for Cuba in May 2026, noting that nearly one million people obtain drinking water from tank trucks and that 84% of the pumping equipment relies on electricity.
Alongside the humanitarian response, the political relationship between Brussels and Havana is experiencing its most strained moment in years.
In June, the European Parliament approved a resolution calling for individual sanctions against Díaz-Canel and demands the suspension of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement signed in 2016, although the formal decision rests with the EU Council.
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