State Secretary to the Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Ragnhild Sjoner Syrstad today announced her country’s contribution of NOK 70 million, equivalent to USD 6.5 million, for the energy and environment programme of the Rohingya response in Bangladesh.

The contribution will support the provision of cleaner cooking energy to Rohingya refugees, the continued rehabilitation of biodiversity and ecosystems and the facilitation of enhanced skill development for refugees and Bangladeshi host communities.

These activities are part of the Safe Access to Fuel and Energy Plus, phase 2 programme (SAFE+2), a joint UN initiative which brings together the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the World Food Programme (WFP).

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“I am happy that our contribution will support the provision of cleaner cooking energy and continued rehabilitation of ecosystems for refugees and host communities. Without access to safe cooking fuels the forest will be lost again, and the dangers related to collecting firewood will return”, she added.

“The contribution from the Government and the people of Norway comes at a critical time and will allow us to continue providing some 190,000 refugee households with Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG),” said Johannes van der Klaauw, UNHCR Representative, speaking on behalf of the UN agencies.

“It will also support the Bangladeshi host communities, who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, through successful rehabilitation of the environment and ecosystems of Cox’s Bazar, and by substantially reducing CO2 emissions,” he added.

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