DG ECHO

The Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, formerly known as the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office, is the European Commission's department for overseas humanitarian aid and for civil protection. It aims to save and preserve life, prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. Since December 2024, Hadja Lahbib is serving as Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality in the Von der Leyen Commission, and since 1 March 2023, Maciej Popowski leads the organisation as the Director-General.