Hermann Gröhe, the new president of the German Red Cross and former Federal Minister of Health, has criticized recent budget cuts to Germany’s international humanitarian aid. The government reduced the budget from two billion euros to one billion euros, a decision Gröhe described as short-sighted with dramatic consequences for people in need.

Gröhe warned that insufficient aid, for example in Sudan, could force more people to flee their homes, exacerbating suffering and potentially intensifying other conflicts due to increased displacement. He emphasized that maintaining adequate funding is crucial to prevent further humanitarian crises and to support stability in affected regions.