Czech Republic allocates $2.44m for refugee help

Czech government decided on Wednesday that the country will spend 60 million crowns (about 2.44 million U.S. dollars) on helping refugees from the areas hit by armed conflicts and humanitarian or natural disasters.

The money will primarily go to the Middle East, afflicted by the conflict in Syria.

Of the amount, around 45 million crowns (about 1.83 million U.S. dollars) will be sent to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that seeks to stabilise the situation in the biggest refugee camp in Jordan, to which Syrian refugees are coming.

Around 5 million crowns (about 0.2 million U.S. dollars) are to be given to the Foreign Ministry of Denmark that has joined the project in aid of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon. The remaining 10 million crowns (about 0.4 million U.S. dollars) will be sent to Turkey to build capacities for the refugees.

Czech government in January has approved a program to help the refugees abroad, falling under the interior ministry. The new program MEDEVAC has complemented the program of humanitarian evacuation of people afflicted by urgent health problems.

The priorities of the new foreign aid program are the Middle East, southeastern Europe and North Africa with the acute refugee problem.