In the aftermath of the tsunami, the international Red Cross movement faces a luxury problem: USD 600 million more than it needs to finance its tsunami relief programme. Instead of using some of this cash on under-funded emergencies, the Red Cross is adamant about spending “every penny" on tsunami victims.

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Tove Strand: last thoughts on Norad

The Director General of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) Tove Strand is on her way out. Strand has been appointed Managing Director of Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo. She tells DT that the last year has been exhausting, but she feels Norad is now on the right track and that this can also be good for the agency when a new chief takes over the helm.

In 2004, Norway remained at the top of the OECD donor list, though the Norwegian aid level dropped by five points to 0.87 per cent of GNI.

Plan Finland’s four-year framework agreement with the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has now been finalised. Plan will receive EUR 3 million in state funding this year and EUR 3.5 million in 2006, with sums for 2007-8 to be determined later.

Finnish development NGOs are increasingly looking to the EU for co-financing of development and education projects. Last year Finnish NGOs applied for more than EUR 10 million in co-financing from the EU.

Sweden is cautiously increasing funding for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

Swedish Finance Minister Pär Nuder has taken the final decision that the Right Livelihood Award Foundation, which gives out the so-called Alternative Nobel Prize, will receive special tax-exempt status.

Sweden has signed an international agreement with five countries in East Africa on institutional cooperation for the management of water resources in the Upper Nile Basin.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has recently reached an agreement regarding all outstanding matters between Sida and the Proni Institute of Social Education.

For a couple of days in Oslo, Sudan was in the media spot light as representatives from 60 countries gathered at the long-awaited donor conference. As much as USD 4.5 billion was pledged for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction for the years 2005-2007.