Don't Delay, Give Today! Norway Sets the Standard for Refugee Aid

Foreign Minister Børge Brende said Norway would provide a total of half a billion kroner (roughly 60 million dollars) for the UN refugee agency UNHCR's work in Syria and neighboring countries, Norway's broadcasting company NRK reported.

"We need to assist the UN in helping the millions who have been displaced because of the war in Syria. Norway will thus be at the forefront with a significant contribution to the UNHCR for the coming years, totaling half a billion kroner, said Foreign Minister Brende of the Conservative party.

Previously, Norway has already provided 100 million kroner (roughly 12 million dollars) to the UNHCR's work in Syria and neighboring countries in 2016, and is now increasing its support to a total of 300 million kroner (roughly 37 million dollars) for 2016. In addition, at least 100 million kroner in aid is scheduled to be sent in 2017 and 2018.

In February, Brende's party colleague and PM Erna Solberg promised about 10 billion kroner (roughly 1.2 billion dollars) to Syria and neighboring countries over the next four years, whereas Brende himself stressed Norway's long tradition of overseas aid.

This makes the little oil-rich and fjord-filled Nordic country of five million one of the largest contributors of humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees. Norway's lavish input is thus on par with the EU heavyweights the United Kingdom (population 65 million, contribution 1.7 billion) and Germany (population 81 million, contribution 2.6 billion dollars).

Based on population, Norway is hereby donating 240 dollars per capita, compared with 26 dollars in the UK, 32 dollars in Germany and 16 dollars in the United States.

According to anti-poverty group Oxfam's "fair share," Norway last year contributed 385 percent of its allocated funding portion.