The EU has announced that they are allocating nearly €1.1 billion, which is the largest EU humanitarian budget for life-saving relief in both man-made and natural disasters to date. The 28-nation bloc is currently the leading humanitarian assistance partner of Bangladesh and has various projects ongoing in different regions of the country. In August of this year, the EU provided €0.5 million in aid to help those affected by floods in Bangladesh, in addition to their ongoing project support. The EU stated that this increase in budget is necessary due to the rising global humanitarian needs caused by an increasing number of refugees and displaced persons from armed conflicts, the escalating impact of natural disasters, climate change, and economic crises. Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, announced this new record budget in Brussels on Wednesday, mentioning that next year's budget will also be a record due to the high levels of needs worldwide. The EU is committed to assisting the most vulnerable populations and will continue to be a significant global donor of humanitarian aid in 2016. The 2016 humanitarian budget will address various crises, including the refugee crisis in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, the Western Balkans, and Iraq. Funding will also support vulnerable populations in Colombia, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. The European Commission plans to increase humanitarian funding for education in emergencies from one percent to four percent of the overall budget in 2016, in line with UN targets. Additionally, the EU will focus on helping communities prepare for natural disasters and improving aid delivery.