Foreign Ministry Supports Victims of Natural Disasters and Conflict Situations

04.07.2010 | 00:00

Nr 228-EThe Foreign Ministry is supporting the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) with a 900 000 kroon (57 520 EUR) donation.Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia has supported international organisations dealing with humanitarian aid with voluntary donations since 1996. “The UN Central Emergency Response Fund depends entirely on voluntary donations for financing, so the constant stream of donations for the fund to continue its work and improve the capabilities of UN humanitarian aid is absolutely necessary,” said Paet. “Estonia made its first donation to CERF in 2005. By continuing to make contributions to CERF, Estonia is showing that we take real steps to support those in need in crisis areas and improve the standard of living for people in areas that are most in need of international aid,” he stated.

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The Foreign Ministry is supporting the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) with a 900 000 kroon (57 520 EUR) donation.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia has supported international organisations dealing with humanitarian aid with voluntary donations since 1996. “The UN Central Emergency Response Fund depends entirely on voluntary donations for financing, so the constant stream of donations for the fund to continue its work and improve the capabilities of UN humanitarian aid is absolutely necessary,” said Paet. “Estonia made its first donation to CERF in 2005. By continuing to make contributions to CERF, Estonia is showing that we take real steps to support those in need in crisis areas and improve the standard of living for people in areas that are most in need of international aid,” he stated.

The foreign minister also noted that in allocating money to those in need, CERF bases its actions on the principle that no nation will be deprived of primary humanitarian aid due to its geographically distant location or because the place has dropped out of the interest of the international community. “In providing aid, how quickly those in need receive aid is of key importance. Therefore it is important to increase the CERF’s financial preparedness, so that rescue activities could begin immediately after a disaster has occurred,” Paet explained, adding that by making a donation to CERF, Estonia is also contributing to the more rapid dispatching of aid to all those in need.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund was created in 1991 and its goal is to allow the humanitarian aid organisations of the UN to rapidly and urgently provide the necessary aid to people who are victims of conflict situations and natural disasters.

The sum being donated was allocated from the Foreign Ministry’s 2010 budget for development and humanitarian aid.

Additional information on the UN Central Emergency Response Fund can be found at this address: http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline.un.org/cerf

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