Norway is now providing an additional NOK 100 million for relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria following the earthquakes, bringing its total support up to NOK 250 million. That equals a total support of approximately USD 24 million. The funding will be channelled through the UN, the Red Cross and the major Norwegian humanitarian organisations.
‘The funding from Norway will be used to provide health care, shelter, food, psychosocial support and protection, among other things. It is becoming easier to get help to those most in need. The need for assistance is enormous,’ said Ms Huitfeldt.
So far, more than 46 000 people have been confirmed dead following the devastating earthquakes. Tens of thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed. The full extent of the damage is still unclear, and the UN is asking for almost USD 400 million for Syria and a billion USD for Türkiye over the next three months.
In addition to the NOK 250 million for the earthquake relief effort, Norway has allocated a total of NOK 500 million to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) in 2022. So far, these two Funds have deployed NOK 545 million in support for the disaster response. One tenth of this funding has been provided by Norway.
Norway has also sent medical equipment and personnel to help coordinate the response. This has been organised by the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. The Norwegian Armed Forces have sent a C-130J Hercules transport aircraft to Türkiye to assist in the medical evacuation of injured people and the transport of emergency aid. Norway also donates medicines, medical infrastructure and medical supplies to Syria. The donation has a value of approximately NOK 11 million.
The NOK 250 million in support includes funding channelled through the Norwegian humanitarian organisations that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strategic cooperation agreements with. Some of the support for the ongoing humanitarian efforts will be taken from the organisations’ reserve funds, which are intended to enable them to respond rapidly and effectively to new, acute disasters.
Norway will assess the need to provide additional support on an ongoing basis.
Facts:
- So far, Norway has allocated NOK 250 million to the humanitarian response following the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
- Norway announced NOK 150 million in humanitarian support on 6 February, the day the earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria.
- The humanitarian funding is being channelled through Norwegian humanitarian partners, the UN and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
- Norway has sent medical equipment and personnel to help coordinate the crisis response, organised by the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. The Ministry of Defence has made an aircraft available for medical evacuation.
See also:
Norway to provide NOK 150 million to earthquake victims - regjeringen.no
Norway sends transport plane to Türkiye to help with evacuation and transport - regjeringen.no