State Secretary, Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen announces that Norway will give an additional NOK 37.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Darfur in western Sudan. This brings the total amount of humanitarian assistance given by Norway to Darfur and the refugees in Chad since September 2003 up to NOK 72.5 million.

- The situation in Darfur is extremely critical. More than a million people have been driven from their homes and they are in desperate need of help. The UN, the Red Cross and a number of NGOs are stepping up their efforts now that the Sudanese Government has relaxed the unacceptable restrictions on humanitarian activities. This means that there is a great need for more contributions from the international community, said Mr Helgesen.

The Norwegian contribution was announced in Geneva today at an international meeting on the humanitarian situation in Darfur, chaired by UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland.

- The purpose of the meeting in Geneva is to mobilise more donors and to intensify international pressure on the parties to the conflict. This disaster is due to political causes, and humanitarian aid will not solve the problems. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that the parties, and particularly the Sudanese Government, take responsibility for protecting and helping their own people by halting the violence, disarming militia groups and restoring law and order, said Mr Helgesen.