Sudan

Press Release 83/2015 16 March 2015

By decision of Development Minister Sirpa Paatero on 17 December, in the last distribution of funds for humanitarian assistance, Finland has granted 13.5 million euros to long-lasting and underfunded crises. The support is awarded to Finn Church Aid and UN organizations. The decision brings Finland’s humanitarian assistance this year to 105.7 million euros. This is a record-high amount for Finland, which indicates the extent of the world’s crises.

By decision taken by Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala on 15 March, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted its humanitarian assistance funds for the first part of the year, totalling EUR 39.8 million, to people suffering from the world’s crises. This time, Finland targets humanitarian assistance to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Earlier this year, EUR 3.5 million was already granted for the acute needs of the Syrian crisis.

By decision of Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted humanitarian aid appropriations totalling 67.6 million euros to people suffering from the world’s crises. Finland directs humanitarian assistance to Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

Public health concerns

By decision of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted 47.3 million Euros from the early 2010 humanitarian aid appropriations to the victims of crises and natural disasters in the world. The current sum is in addition to the 5.4 million Euros allocated in January for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Press release 135/2009

By decision of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted humanitarian aid appropriations for the first part of the year, totalling 47 million euros, to people suffering from the world's crises. Finland's entire humanitarian aid budget for the present year totals 73 million euros.

The purpose of humanitarian aid is to save human lives and alleviate human suffering in crisis situations.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted 9.3 million euros in humanitarian assistance, in response to the needs caused by the world's greatest humanitarian crises. The decision made by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen supplements the decision to grant 52.2 million euros, made in spring 2008.

The aid focuses on long-term crises, most of which are located in Africa.

By decision of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted humanitarian aid appropriations for the first part of the year, totalling 52.2 million euros, to people suffering from the world's crises. Finland's entire humanitarian aid budget for 2008 totals 63.2 million euros.

The purpose of humanitarian assistance is to save human lives and alleviate human suffering caused by crises stemming from natural disasters or political conflicts. This year, assistance is needed especially by the victims of long-term crises.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted EUR 700,000 of emergency assistance through the Finnish Red Cross to the areas of Eastern and Northern Africa affected by severe flooding. The emergency appeal launched by the UN amounts to EUR 60 million, in addition to which the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC, have launched an appeal totalling EUR 12 million.

The floods are a result of unusually heavy and persistent rain. In Eastern Africa, the worst-hit countries include Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda.

Finland has offered the UN 12 civilian policemen for the common UN and African Union crisis management operation in Darfur. The aim of this Unamid operation, United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur, is to support the implementation of the Darfur peace agreement, protect aid workers in the region, as well as civilians.

The 26,000 peace keepers are meant to be sent to the field without further delay. The preparations to kick off the operation are progressing.

Government Communications Unit

Press release 67/2006

"What is needed in Darfur is a strong UN-commanded peacekeeping operation," EU Special Representative for Sudan Pekka Haavisto said in a press conference he held in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on 22 February.

"The monitoring of the crises in Sudan will certainly become emphasised during the Finnish Presidency of the EU," said EU Special Representative for Sudan Pekka Haavisto, who had just returned from Darfur, in a press conference in Helsinki on 28 September. The Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks on Darfur have just recently been resumed in Abuja, Nigeria, under the auspices of the African Union, and all parties of the conflict will be attending the negotiations.

Press release 153/2004

The Finnish Foreign Ministry has approved an increase of EUR 1.1 million in aid to help the victims of the Darfur crisis. The aid will be channelled through UNICEF, World Food Programme and FinnChurchAid programmes. The decision to increase aid makes Sudan as the main recipient of Finnish humanitarian assistance this year.

Press Release 43/2004