Denmark has pledged to donate more than 29.5 million kroner from its 58 million kroner emergency funding to UNHCR to support the organisations’ operations in South Sudan, Central African Republic and Mali.

The decision was announced yesterday as a response to the plea António Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, made at the annual meeting of the UNHCR’s Executive Committee on Friday October 9.

Solidarity with people in Africa
Guterres urged donor countries not to forget the needs of the millions of people displaced from protracted crises in several regions of Africa in spite of their main efforts to tackle the world’s largest humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syria.

“UNHCR appreciates the strong collaboration between UNHCR and Denmark,” said Pia Prytz Phiri, the UNHCR Regional Representative for Northern Europe.

“Denmark’s continued expression of solidarity, including through its continued funding, is critical for ensuring solutions for refugees in regions impacted by new or protracted refugee situations.”

Top strategic donor
Denmark will contribute to UNHCR’s life-saving operations that focus on distributing shelter, water, food and medical aid to the displaced people and assist ongoing efforts, as part of the Special Mediterranean Initiative, in the Horn of Africa and the North Africa sub-regions.

According to the UNHCR, Denmark is one the organisation’s top strategic donors, and last years ranked as UNHCR’s 11th largest donor with 507 million kroner in contributions.

Recently, Denmark donated 25 million kroner to UNHCR’s work in Syria aimed at assisting the displaced population in the war-stricken country.