Michael de Laine

Denmark gives DKr 145 mln to NGOs’ humanitarian work

By Michael de Laine, Copenhagen, 9 March 2009

The Minister for Development Cooperation has given DKr 145 million to Danish NGOs for their humanitarian work in crisis-hit countries.

The Minister for Development Cooperation has given DKr 145 million to Danish non-government organisations (NGOs) for their humanitarian work in countries affected by drawn-out crises. The funding will support their work in promoting food safety, protecting civilians and their rights, supplying basic social services, mine-sweeping and disaster prevention.

NGOs’ efforts in Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Gaza and the West Bank, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe will be supported.

The Danish NGOs’ efforts will be complemented by contributions to relevant UN organisations and acute initiatives, the ministry said.

“Regrettably, the way a number of the world’s drawn-out crises are developing is going in the wrong direction and the civilian populations are increasingly the target of the attacks of the struggling parties,” said Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs. “This applies to Somalia, where large parts of the country are caught in violent anarchy. In the DRC the population is continually subjected to violent attacks. The same applies to Darfur. And Zimbabwe is hit by a humanitarian crisis of unheard of dimensions because of the previous government’s catastrophic leadership. Millions of people in the Horn of Africa are starving as a result of drought and a failed harvest.”

Tørnæs added, “One of the consequences is that a large number of people are being forced to leave their homes to seek protection. Many lose their livelihood and become dependent on emergency aid. These are the people that Denmark wants to help with this money.”