The European Union has announced that the nearly €1.1 billion allocation is the largest humanitarian budget for life-saving relief in both man-made and natural disasters in its history. The EU, which is the first humanitarian assistance partner of Bangladesh, has several ongoing projects in different parts 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 its existing project support. The EU stated that this new budget record is necessary as global humanitarian needs are rising due to the increasing number of refugees and displaced individuals resulting from armed conflicts, as well as the escalating impact of natural disasters, climate change, and economic crises. Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, announced the budget in Brussels on Wednesday, noting that next year's budget will likely be a record high due to the tragically high levels of need. The EU is committed to helping the most vulnerable and is proud to be one of the top global donors of humanitarian assistance in 2016. The 2016 humanitarian budget will focus on addressing the refugee crisis in various countries, as well as providing aid to vulnerable populations in Colombia, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. In 2016, the European Commission plans to increase its funding for education in emergencies from one percent to four percent of the EU's overall humanitarian budget, in line with UN targets. Other priorities include helping communities prepare for natural disasters and improving aid delivery.