Kristalina Georgieva, the European Union's Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, is in Niger in order to evaluate humanitarian needs and the European Commission's current response to the crisis in Africa's Sahel region as well as identifying the potential needs for further assistance.

The Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva is doing a four-day visit to the Africa's Sahel region, visiting Niger and Chad, two of the five Sahel countries (including Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania) most at risk of major food shortages over the coming months. She intends with this visit to respond to calls for assistance from the affected countries.

The visit is aimed at evaluating humanitarian needs with the authorities and the European Commission's current response to the crisis as well as identifying the potential needs for further assistance. The Commission has been working to mitigate future crises by establishing an innovative programme through its partners. In 2010, the European Commission proposed an additional 40 million Euro package in humanitarian aid to this region. This programme currently treats more than 200,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the Sahel and is working to achieve a permanent and sustainable solution to the region's chronic food security problems.

The Sahel suffers from a chronic malnutrition crisis. The prospects of a full-scale disaster this year have already been signalled with the governments of all five countries taking the unprecedented step of declaring emergencies and calling for international assistance. According to the Commission, early, effective and coordinated action by the Sahel governments supported by the international community can reduce the risk of it turning into a major disaster.