Foreign Affairs Committee calls for increase in development funding because of Asian disaster

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The inability of the European Union to work together was the main topic of criticism when the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament discussed the Asian tsunami disaster on Thursday. Appearing before the committee were Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) and Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP).
      After the discussion, committee chairwoman Liisa Jaakonsaari (SDP) noted that there was a lack of cooperation among European Union countries in the disaster area itself, and in the exchange of information.
      "There should be a system in which information possessed by one country would be available to all others", said Foreign Minister Tuomioja as he left the meeting.
     
The other main message from the committee was that as money is given to deal with the aftermath of the Asian crisis, development funding should be correspondingly increased. That is, the pledges must not reduce Finland’s other humanitarian funding, or its development aid commitments.
      "There is a danger that Africa might be forgotten", Jaakonsaari pointed out.
      No precise figures were given out. Finland has so far pledged EUR 50 million to alleviate the crisis, which is slightly more than what was earmarked for humanitarian aid in this year’s state budget.
      Jaakonsaari saw little to criticise in Finland’s handling of the situation. Foreign Affairs Committee members felt that more use should be made of new technology; for instance, Finnish embassies should be supplied with satellite telephones.
     
The dissemination of information about the disaster was a key topic of discussion. Jaakonsaari said that people responsible for providing information should have refuted the erroneous news that went out on the evening of December 26th, according to which all Finns were safe.
      Tuomioja said that the Foreign Ministry followed the "principle of caution" when it gave out a statement that there was no information that any Finns were in a dangerous situation. He said that this took on a form "that did not come from us", suggesting that all Finns were safe.
      Both Tuomioja and Jaakonsaari emphasised the responsibility of the media in this matter.
     
The ministers promised that the government would examine the needs and possibilities to increase resources of civilian crisis management. There was no talk of timetables; the lack of such a report was a key point of criticism when the Foreign Affairs Committee commented on the government’s Security and Defence Policy report in the autumn.
      It was also asked why the first Finnish planes dispatched to Thailand had insurance company assessment doctors on board, but no doctors that would have actually helped treat patients. Jaakonsaari did not have any clear answers to that.
      Outside the meeting room Prime Minister Vanhanen said that this is normal practice for travel agencies and airlines, when assessing the need for treatment on the spot.
      The committee has asked the government for a written report on the events, and plans to continue to examine the matter on the basis of that report.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  arliamentarians discuss information flow of Asian disaster (13.1.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat