2007 LIBERIA PARTNERS FORUM

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000013

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EB/IFD/ODF/EMILY WAECHTER
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN EAID PREL ECON FI LI
SUBJECT: 2007 LIBERIA PARTNERS FORUM

REF: SECSTATE 201818


1. (U) In response to reftel action request, post contacted Sirpa
Maenpaa, Director for the Unit for Eastern and Western Africa in the
Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) urging Finland to attend
the Liberia Partners Forum on February 13-14, 2007. Maenpaa said
Finland would most likely not send a delegation from Helsinki;
however, someone may attend from the Finnish Embassy in Washington.
In addition, Finland has yet to decide on future bilateral aid to
Liberia. She noted that Finland has decided to concentrate its
development cooperation on fewer countries, and that Liberia is
currently not one of Finland's long-term development assistance
partners. Finland is involved in regional cooperation primarily
through the EU.


2. (U) In 2005, Finland granted 800,000 euros in humanitarian aid to
Liberia through Finn Church Aid (300,000 euros) and Finnish Red
Cross (500,000 euros) for refugee aid and internal refugee aid. In
addition, 2.5 million euros was allocated to Western Africa, of
which approximately 1 million to Liberia, according to Timo
Karmakallio, Counselor, Unit for humanitarian assistance in the MFA.
In 2006, 400,000 euros in humanitarian aid was allocated through the
UN Children's Fund to Liberia, and 2.4 million euros to Western
Africa, of which less than half to Liberia.

WARE