The European Union said today it would provide more than €148 million in aid to famine-stricken southern Africa.
The announcement comes after last week's joint appeal by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for donor nations to boost their food aid and financial support to the region.
The aid will be used to provide direct food aid and humanitarian assistance, and will specifically target Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia.
The European Commission decided on an initial aid installment of €88.5 million last July.
It now plans to release an additional €60 million by September, making up a total aid package of €148.5 million.
Half the additional funds will be managed by the EU humanitarian office ECHO.
The remainder will be used by the EuropeAid cooperation office to provide 80,000 tonnes of grain in food aid to the region.
AFP