Finland had provided a total of about EUR 97.5 million in vital humanitarian assistance to the crisis countries, including nearly EUR 18 million to Ukraine from January to July this year, said the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in a press release on Monday.
Finland’s decisions on humanitarian assistance this year have prioritised support to Ukraine, major refugee crises in Africa and the humanitarian situation in the Middle East.
The number of people in need of assistance continues to grow.
Finland has also provided funding, among other countries, for Sudan, where famine was detected last year, and for Myanmar for recovery from the earthquake.
About one tenth of the assistance was channelled through humanitarian aid projects carried out by Finnish civil society organisations (CSOs).
“Over the next few months, Finland’s humanitarian assistance this year will increase to over one hundred million euros. Finland focuses on flexible humanitarian funding that allows aid organisations to respond quickly to crises and the changed, unforeseen needs,” said Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio.
Ukraine is the largest recipient of Finland’s humanitarian assistance. Finland has granted EUR 16 million through UN humanitarian agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and nearly EUR 2 million through Finnish CSOs for Ukraine’s humanitarian needs.
“Since the start of the war, Finland’s support through the WFP has been vital in ensuring that Ukraine, formerly also known as the breadbasket of Europe, is able to meet its own humanitarian needs,” Deputy Head of the World Food Programme (WFP) Office in Ukraine Nanna Skau said.
The situation remains serious, with five million Ukrainians suffering from food insecurity, Skau said.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
