Finland sharply increases aid to areas affected by tsunami
Government pledges EUR 50 million, fund raising drives expected to bring
in over EUR 20 million
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The Finnish government announced on Friday that it would increase its humanitarian aid to areas of Southeast Asia hit by the recent natural disasters to EUR 50 million. Earlier Finland had committed EUR 12 million in emergency relief.
Finnish funding for emergency relief is to be increased to EUR 20 million. According to Foreign Trade and Development Minister Paula Lehtomäki (Centre), Finland is also pledging EUR 30 million in the next three years for the reconstruction of the affected areas - mainly Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Lehtomäki announced the increase in aid at an emergency meeting in Brussels on Friday. The EU countries have pledged a total of EUR 1.5 billion to help the victims of the tsunami.
Lehtomäki said that the party groups in the Finnish government have agreed to increase this year's budget for humanitarian aid by EUR eight million. She says that this is important, so that other crisis spots around the world are not left without any help at all.
Finland is channelling its aid mainly through the United Nations and other international humanitarian organisations. Finland also plans to launch a number of bilateral aid projects, mainly in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
At their Brussels meeting on Friday, the foreign and development ministers of the EU member states also discussed the possible establishment of EU rapid deployment forces for providing emergency aid, separate from the planned rapid deployment military forces.
Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) noted that the EU already has a system of civilian crisis management. He says that what is needed now is to take one more step forward, and focus on speed and scope.
Private Finnish donations to the emergency effort in Southeast Asia reached EUR 18 million before the weekend. Hannu-Pekka Laiho, head of communications at the Finnish Red Cross, expects the total amount to exceed EUR 20 million within a few days.
There seems to be no sign of compassion fatigue yet; Laiho says that eagerness to contribute to the cause has remained high for a longer time than usual on this occasion.
A number of fund-raising concerts and other events have been held around Finland and more are planned, including a concert at the Helsinki Arena featuring HIM and The Rasmus, two of the country's leading international bands.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 10.1.2005 - TODAY |
 Finland sharply increases aid to areas affected by tsunami |
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