Finland gives 1.1 million euro in fresh aid to Darfur

HELSINKI, July 2 (AFP) — The Finnish foreign ministry said on Friday that it would provide an additional 1.1 million euros (1.35 million dollars) in humanitarian help to Sudan’s hunger-struck region of Darfur.

The donation comes on top of 2.3 million euros given earlier, and brings the total of Finnish aid to the war-torn province so far up to 3.4 million euros, the government said.

The situation in Darfur is currently “one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the United Nations and non-governmental organization Finnish Church Aid would distribute the aid.

Due to Sudan’s civil war, almost a million refugees are currently living in makeshift camps in Darfur, lacking food and water, and thousands of people are likely to perish if their situation is not improved soon, according to the UN.