Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05HELSINKI15
2005-01-04 11:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:  

FINNISH AID IN SUPPORT OF TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORT

Tags:  AEMR EAID PGOV FI 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS HELSINKI 000015 

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR EAID PGOV FI
SUBJECT: FINNISH AID IN SUPPORT OF TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORT

REF: STATE 00959

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000015

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR EAID PGOV FI
SUBJECT: FINNISH AID IN SUPPORT OF TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORT

REF: STATE 00959


1. (SBU) The Government of Finland is about to increase its
total disaster assistance donation to 12 million euros. GoF
donations have increased over the past week to keep slightly
ahead of private donations. End Summary


2. (U) Embassy Helsinki made subject demarche immediately on
the morning of January 4, 2005.


3. (U) On December 27, 2004, the GoF made its first
contribution of 500,000 euros through the Finnish Red Cross
to the IFRC. On December 29, as the scope of the disaster
became better known, and private donations grew, the GoF
added another 2 million euros: one million to the WFP,
500,000 to UNICEF and 500,000 to the WHO. On December 31,
the GoF gave another two million euros to the IFRC, through
the Finnish Red Cross. All of the current 4.5 million euros
have been disbursed.


4. (U) The GoF has already set aside another 5.5 million
euros in expectation of a UN aid request on Thursday,
January 6. Officials expect to allocate and disburse the
amount as soon as the requests are in.


5. (SBU) Although not yet announced, MFA sources tell us
that the GoF will increase the current total of 10 million
euros to 12 million euros by the end of the week.


6. (U) Donations by the Finnish public stand at just below
11 million euros as of the morning of January 4, 2005, with
the amount constantly rising. The bulk of this amount goes
to the Finnish Red Cross (8.6 million) and Finnish Church
Aid - the Lutheran Church's aid organization (1.1 million).
Finnish UNICEF has received 750,000, Finnish Save the
Children Fund 250,000, and two smaller organizations received
another 120,000.


7. (SBU) While sympathetic to the tsunami relief effort,
MFA humanitarian assistance officials nervously watch as
the aid figure grows to 12 million euros, now more than
one quarter of Finland's total humanitarian assistance
budget for 2005.


8. (U) Statistical note: Although Finland is a relatively
developed country, it is tiny. Finnish GDP is less than
1.5 percent of the U.S. GDP.


WEISBERG