Swedish Relief Efforts Following the Tsunami Disaster in Southeast Asia

Sweden has contributed an initial sum of 500 million SEK for assistance to the disaster-hit areas in Asia. "The terrible scale of the disaster is still not known and we must be prepared to contribute in every way we can," said Minister for Development Cooperation Carin Jämtin.

The general public in Sweden has also already generated considerable sums of money for international aid through various public campaigns and donations.

The Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Swedish embassies, the identification commission, the Swedish Rescue Services Agency and NGO volunteers have been working intensively to locate, identify and help Swedes still remaining in the affected areas.

A crisis management group from the Swedish Rescue Services Agency traveled to Phuket on December 28 to reinforce personnel who are already there.  A Swedish identification commission consisting of medical examiners, forensic orthodontists and police technicians is now working in Thailand.

In addition to regularly scheduled flights, about twenty extra planes have flown Swedes home over the past few days.  Swedish citizens can travel home free on the evacuation planes and do not need passports.

As of January 4, 2005, the Swedish National Police Board (Rikspolisstyrelsen) has assumed the responsibility for reporting and registration of victims and missing persons.

The National Police Board telephone number for relatives is +46 8 401 38 95.  The Ministry for Foreign Affairs telephone number is also still open, +46 8 405 41 00.

On Wednesday, January 5, 2005, at 12 noon, three minutes of silence were held in the whole of the EU to honor the memory of the victims of the disaster in Asia.

For continuous updates on Swedish relief efforts following the tsunami disaster, visit www.foreign.ministry.se