Finland Times

Syrian Kurdish women walk with their children on October 23, 2014 in the Rojava refugee camp in Suruc in Sanliurfa province. Photo AFP-Lehtikuva

Finland in its autumn distribution of humanitarian aid has granted 15.7 million euros for the worst crisis sites including Syria and the Central African Republic.

 

Many of these targets are seriously underfunded and have gone unnoticed, because of other crises going on at the same time.

 

Development Minister Sirpa Paatero made a decision on the matter on International United Nations Day on Friday, according to a foreign ministry press release. The support is granted to Finnish actors, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and UN agencies.

 

“This year has been exceptionally tough for the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes and have suffered from acute and long-term crises in inhumane conditions. Moreover, aid workers and humanitarian organizations have had to use all available means to be able to meet the most critical needs. The same determination is needed now in Western Africa so that the Ebola epidemic can be brought under control,” said Paatero.

 

Syrian Kurdish children stand on October 22, 2014 outside a tent in the Rojava refugee camp in Suruc in Sanliurfa province. Photo AFP-Lehtikuva.

Support of 2.7 million euros is given for the Syrian crisis, which raises Finland’s support granted this far this year to a total of 11.15 million euros.

 

Aid is also given to forgotten crises, such as Yemen and the Sahel region, as well as the Central African Republic and its neighbouring countries, which have received large numbers of refugees.

 

In all, 3 million euros is channelled to the Palestinian territory, including 1.5 million euros given to the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency-UNRWA and in addition to the 3 million euros granted earlier this year.

 

Through the Finnish Red Cross, the amount of 920,000 euros is given in additional support to the operation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

 

More than half of the support for humanitarian aid now granted, nearly 8.3 million euros, is focused on Africa.

 

The decision brings Finland’s humanitarian aid given this year to 92.2 million euros. Last year a total of 96.3 million euros was granted for humanitarian aid.

 

The support is paid out of the appropriations for humanitarian aid included in Finland’s development cooperation.