The eight-nation organisation, based in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou, said the funds were to help Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal, which have all experienced heavy floods caused by torrential rains.

Niger, where almost 200,000 people are affected, was granted the largest share of the finance, to the tune of 300 million CFA francs (about 457,000 euros).

The four other countries received between 150 and 200 million CFA francs each.

Set up in January 1994, the UEMOA brought together seven French-speaking nations -- Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo -- and they were joined by Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony, in 1996.

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