Press Release

Wednesday 12 December 2007

UNHCR welcomes pledges from Denmark, Norway and Sweden for its 2008 budget

At UNHCR's annual Pledging Conference held in Geneva Tuesday, donors were presented with the UN Refugee Agency's 2008 Annual Budget of USD 1.096 billion. The donors were asked for early pledges of funds to help the millions of refugees, displaced and stateless persons around the world. The result was uplifting: total pledges at the conference amounted to USD 492 million for 2008, a much welcome 25 per cent increase on the 2007 result.

At the Pledging Conference the Scandinavian countries once again demonstrated their strong support to the UN Refugee Agency:

Denmark pledged, as in 2007, DKK 130,000,000 for the 2008 programmes, which corresponds to some USD 26 million.

Norway pledged NOK 240,000,000 or about USD 44 million as a core contribution to UNHCR. This represents an increase of 41% on last year's Conference.

Sweden also increased its 2008 pledge to SEK 564,000,000 or approximately USD 89 million, which is a 6% increase from last year.

In addition, all Nordic countries also contribute generously towards various UNHCR programmes throughout the year.

"We are tremendously grateful to Denmark, Norway and Sweden for their unfaultering support to the refugee cause", says Mr Hans ten Feld, UNHCR Regional Representative in the Nordic and Baltic countries, "and note with special appreciation the early and increased funding that is being made available to UNHCR".

"As the UN Refugee Agency relies almost entirely on voluntary funding, it is vital to get early and prompt funding so the organisation can plan effectively and continue its operations to help those uprooted by conflict and persecution without interruption", says Mr ten Feld.

To date, some 93 per cent of 2007's UNHCR budget has been funded by donors. Top donors so far in 2007 are the United States, the European Commission, Sweden, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway.

UNHCR is present in 116 countries, has 262 offices worldwide with 6,260 staff members - 5,400 of whom are in the field. We work with 624 partners to provide help and assistance to 32.9 million refugees, displaced and stateless people.

UNHCR's 2008-2009 Global Appeal in English is available on our website www.unhcr.org, where also a wrap-up of the total amount of pledges made will be available.

For further information, please contact spokesperson Hanne Mathisen, UNHCR Regional Office for the Baltic and Nordic Countries, in Stockholm on tel. +46 8 457 48 86 or e-mail mathisen@unhcr.org