The Government of Norway in a decision on the 19th November decided to make immideately available USD 3.3 million in relief funds for victims of the cyclone "Sidr". His Majesty King Harald V of Norway sends his condolences to the Hon'ble President Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed and the people of Bangladesh following the disaster.
25/11/2007 :: The unfolding tragedies in South-West Bangladesh in the aftermath of the devastating cyclone Sidr has been followed with great attention in Norway. As an immediate response the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday 19 November made available USD 3.3 million in fresh funds for the relief effort.
Minister for international Development, Mr. Erik Solheim, praised Bangladesh for its disaster preparedness system and said that early warning systems and cyclone shelters undoubtedly had saved many lives, but that despite these measures there is currently a huge humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Bangladesh. The minister further stressed that although preventive measures may save lives, the survivors may still have lost their livelihood and it is therefore important to keep in mind the need for longer term reconstruction in the cyclone hit areas.
The Norwegian relief will mainly be distributed through UN agencies, the international red cross/red crescent and Norwegian NGOs with experience in this type of work.
Norway is one of the largest contributors to the newly established UN emergency fund CERF (Central Emergency Response Fund) and Norwegian authorities are exploring the possibilities for making use of this mechanism to assist Bangladesh in overcoming the effects of this natural disaster.