Denmark supports the refugee cause

New year, new opportunities. A few days ago Denmark assumed the EU Presidency. UNHCR has submitted its recommendations and looks forward to working with Denmark towards an improved European asylum regime. On the global scene, Denmark has a long history of political and financial support to UNHCR, and starts the  year with pledges that will benefit refugees and internally displaced worldwide.

At the UNHCR pledging conference in Geneva in December 2011, Denmark pledged a core, unearmarked contribution of DKK 160 milllion to UNHCR’s 2012 operations in more than a 120 countries.

As January arrived, further support was made available. DKK 64 million was assigned to assist persons displaced on the Horn of Africa as a result of the conflict in Somalia in 2012-2013. A similar two-year grant of DKK 54 million has been pledged towards UNHCR’s operations in Afghanistan, to assist internally displaced and Afghan refugees who are voluntarily returning home from neighbouring countries Iran and Pakistan.

A further two-year contribution of DKK 52 million has been earmarked for UNHCR’s protection and assistance activities for Iraqi refugees in neighbouring Jordan and Syria, as well as its reintegration activities inside Iraq itself.

UNHCR is also most grateful to have received a pledge of DKK 16.9 million towards its 2012 operations in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. While a displacement situation soon forgotten by the media, the humanitarian needs persist.

The – for now – last Denmark contribution to UNHCR of DKK 4.6 million will secure improvements of the Yei Girls Boarding Secondary School in South Sudan in 2012 and 2013.

UNHCR would like to thank Denmark for paying particular attention to areas in need where its policy priorities intersect with ours. We know that Denmark is a donor which very carefully assesses the situations and its pledging resonates with UNHCR’s priorities.

We appreciate Denmark’s active donorship in jointly developing the projects to be supported, both from the capital and in the field. In this sense, we have developed a true partnership with Denmark as we work closely to try to improve the situation for millions of displaced on every continent.
In 2011, Denmark’s total contribution to UNHCR amounted to nearly USD 47 million (DKK 257 million), and Denmark ranked 10th among governmental donors.

UNHCR’s budget for 2012 is USD 3.59 billion.

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