Humanitarian aid is intended for the victims of natural disasters and military conflicts. Poland provides humanitarian aid by financing, among others, the purchase of materials and equipment necessary for the fulfilment of humanitarian missions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports Polish NGOs in their humanitarian activities. Where necessary, we send field hospitals as well as indispensable medicines and sanitary articles in co-operation with the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the National Centre of Rescue and Human Protection Co-ordination. We also have good experiences from direct co-operation with organisations operating locally at the time of disasters. Assistance provided through them reaches the needy in the fastest and most efficient way. Poland co-operates internationally with other donors of humanitarian aid. The scope of this co-operation includes higher security of the employees of humanitarian organisations, the division of tasks between the military forces and humanitarian organisations, as well as the cohesion of humanitarian aid, reconstruction and development.

Indonesia
In connection with the earthquake, which took place in Indonesia in May 2006, we supported the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), UNICEF and the Indonesian Red Cross.

Lebanon
In 2006, we provided humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Lebanese refugees in Syria. On 11 August 2006, three Polish military aeroplanes brought the Polish Government’s humanitarian aid purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (electric power generators, tents and blankets) to Beirut and Damascus. On the spot, the aid was provided through Polish diplomatic missions in Beirut and Damascus.

The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund
In 2006, we began to make contributions to the new United Nations Central Emergency response Fund (CERF) . We do our best to make our aid fast and well-co-coordinated.

CERF - The UN Central Emergency Response Fund was established in March 2006 by the UN Secretary General. Currently the Fund is supported by 37 states including Poland.

In 2005, Polish humanitarian aid was provided to:

• the victims of the tsunami on the Indian Ocean (USD300,000 through UN agencies)
• starving people of the Niger (USD50,000 through UNICEF - the United Nations Children’s Fund)
• the victims of the conflict in Sudan (EUR 50,000 through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – UNHCR)
• those who suffered as a result of the earthquake in Pakistan (USD50,000).

In 2004, Poland provided humanitarian aid to:

• Iran, after the earthquake (PLN 35,000)
• North Korea, in connection with a rail crash (PLN 35,000)
• Darfur (Sudan) (PLN 700,000)
• Asia, after the tsunami