EU announces a further $2.3 million in humanitarian aid for Cuba

April 1 (Reuters) - The ‌European Commission ​has ​released a further 2 million euros ($2.3 million) in aid for Cuba, it said ‌on Wednesday, to tackle what it described as ⁠worsening humanitarian conditions in the country.

* The U.S. cut ‌off Venezuelan oil exports ‌to Cuba aftertoppling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3. * This has resulted in an energy ​crisis in Cuba andblackouts across the country, whose population stands at 10million. Cuban health officials ⁠say the crisis has increased themortality risk for Cuban cancer patients, ​especially children. * "The EU stands with the people of Cuba in their hour ofneed. After Hurricane ​Melissa, we were there. And ‌today, we arestepping up again with €2 million in humanitarian aid to helpdeliver ⁠food and safe drinking water to those who need it most.In a country facing an energy crisis and ⁠growing shortages, thissupport will help keep life-saving aid flowing to ​up to twomillion people in need," said Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner forCrisis Management, in a statement. * On March 31, ‌a Russian-flagged tanker carrying some700,000 barrels of crude docked in Cuba's Matanzas ‌oil terminal,shipping data showed, marking the first significant ⁠oil deliveryto the island ‌since U.S. President ​Donald Trump's administrationcut off its fuel supply.

($1 = 0.8624 euros)

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-GuptaEditing by Keith ‌Weir)

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