Lucie Rychla
February 4th, 2016

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Syrian refugees at Keleti railway station in Budapest (photo: Mstyslav Chernov)

The Danish government has pledged an extra 400 million kroner in humanitarian aid to assist the victims of the Syrian war, reports DR.

The prime minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, is currently attending a conference on Syria in London, where the United Nations has pleaded that the international community double its contributions to supporting the estimated 13.5 million Syrians who have fled to neighbouring Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

“A little disappointing”
In total, Denmark has promised to donate some 688 million kroner in humanitarian assistance to help the refugees, of which 288 million has already been earmarked for a co-operation between the EU and Turkey.

The additional 400 million kroner will be taken from three different budgets within the current development assistance framework.

“It’s a little disappointing that it is not more money than we gave last year, because the needs have increased and the UN has asked for twice as much,” Anders Ladekarl, the head of the Danish Red Cross, told DR.

“We notice Denmark is giving less money in humanitarian aid than it did in the past.”

More money needed
In 2015, the international community donated 4 billion dollars to support the humanitarian work of the UN.

This year, the organisation says it needs more than double – 9 billion dollars (61 billion kroner).

The funds will be used to provide food, clean water and medical care to the Syrian refugees, and to also ensure they get better work and education opportunities in their neighbouring countries.

Cameron visit
The refugee crisis and other matters will be on the agenda when Rasmussen  welcomes the British prime minister, David Cameron, to his office tomorrow afternoon for a meeting at 2:20 pm.

Afterwards the pair will address the media at Spejlsalen.