The European Union has announced that they will be allocating nearly €1.1 billion for humanitarian aid, which is the highest budget for life-saving relief in both man-made and natural disasters to date. This funding makes the EU the first humanitarian assistance partner of Bangladesh, with multiple projects currently ongoing in various 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. This increase in budget comes as global humanitarian needs are rising due to the growing number of refugees and displaced persons resulting from armed conflict, natural disasters, climate change, and economic crises. Christos Stylianides, the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, stated that next year's budget will also be a record high due to the tragically high levels of need around the world. In 2016, the EU will continue to be a leading global donor of humanitarian assistance and will focus on addressing the needs of the most vulnerable. The humanitarian budget for 2016 will address the refugee crisis in various countries, including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, the Western Balkans, and Iraq. Funding will also support vulnerable and displaced people in Colombia, Myanmar, and Afghanistan, which often go unnoticed by the international community. Additionally, the European Commission plans to increase its humanitarian funding for education in emergencies from one percent to four percent of the EU's overall humanitarian budget in 2016, in line with the UN's target. Other priorities for the EU include helping vulnerable communities prepare for natural disasters in South East Asia and improving aid delivery.