Press Release

9 July 2008

UK Government to give additional aid to relief efforts in Burma

Over two months since Cyclone Nargis caused devastation across southern Burma, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander has announced that a further £17.5 million will be made available in response to the disaster. The funding means the UK has provided £45 million to the relief effort, the largest contribution from any donor.

The International Red Cross estimates the number of dead or missing from the catastrophe to be up to 128,000. Another 2.4 million people have been severely affected. These figures make it comparable to the 2004 tsunami in South Asia.

Douglas Alexander said:

"While access has improved and the rate of delivery of relief goods continues to increase, we believe that around 300,000 people are at quite serious risk if they do not get more help soon.

"The UK stands ready to respond to the UN’s revised Flash Appeal, which the UN plans to issue in New York tomorrow, 10 July. Many of the agencies bringing aid continue to face funding gaps, and our £17.5 million will help enhance logistics capacity for aid delivery and bring much needed food, shelter, water and sanitation, health, nutrition and protection to some of the heaviest hit areas.

"Support to early recovery and livelihood regeneration activities will also be a priority, with more needing to be done to ensure that the vulnerable - including landless farmers, day labourers and fishermen - are able urgently to restart their livelihoods."

DFID assistance has so far reached over 1 million beneficiaries, including support to local and international NGOs delivering food, shelter, health services and improved water and sanitation.

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Notes to editors

1. Cyclone Nargis made landfall on 2 May as a category three cyclone in the Irrawaddy Delta region, before tracking inland and hitting the capital Rangoon.
2. DFID announced £5 million in the aftermath of the disaster, an additional £12 million on 15 May and a further £10.5 million following the ASEAN/UN conference which Douglas Alexander attended in Rangoon. Funding has been delivered through the UN, Red Cross, international and local NGOs and community-based organisations to provide water, sanitation, healthcare, emergency shelter and early recovery activities.
DFID funding has been delivered through the UN, international aid agencies, local and international NGOs and community-based organisations: £9 million of this has been allocated to the initial UN Flash Appeal, including £5 million to WFP to provide urgent logistical support for the growing relief operation. More than £10 million has been allocated to aid agencies to provide clean, fresh drinking water, sanitation facilities, basic healthcare and emergency shelter. Other funding has helped cover the cost of relief flights carrying emergency relief items - the UK sent 22 flights carrying water containers, shelter materials, blankets and flat-bottomed boats to provide access to the Delta.
3. A DFID humanitarian response team arrived in Burma shortly after the cyclone and continues to provide support from Rangoon and to make needs assessments.
4. Along with the huge efforts DFID are making to respond to the Cyclone crisis, it has an ongoing country assistance plan in place. This will see DFID spend £12 million this year increasing to £18 million by 2010/11.
5. The International Red Cross estimates that between 69,000 and 128,000 people were killed by Cyclone Nargis. The Burmese Government figures put the number of dead as 84,537 and 53,836 missing.

For further information please contact David Leslie on 020 7023 0311 or d-leslie@dfid.gov.uk.