Finland signed a pledge for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

Press release 185/2007
25 September, 2007

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen signed  today on 25 September a decision to allocate 1.3-million euros of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The aid will be channeled via the UNHCR, UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

Väyrynen says Finland will increase participation in conflict prevention and support for peace processes within the framework of the development cooperation budget, as defined in the government programme. In military crises, however, the prerequisites for development cooperation are scarce, and we have to consider carefully how to participate and at what level. Providing humanitarian aid is justified also in crisis situations, according to Väyrynen.

The above-mentioned reasoning is the foundation for the Finnish goverment's decision to take part in resolving the crisis in Afghanistan, says Väyrynen. Development cooperation with Afghanistan will be thoroughly evaluated, and the final evaluation report will determine future cooperation and channels. Humanitarian aid will be increased immediately.

Finland has donated relatively more development aid to Afghanistan than Sweden and Denmark, and more than the EU member states in average, says Väyrynen.

Further information: Ossi Martikainen, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. +358 40 592 6769