Aid pledges rise; Japan promises 500,000,000 USD
{{date|January 1, 2005}}

In an abrupt about-face, the world's wealthiest nations have begun pouring funding into the Earthquake/Tsunami damaged region. Promised funds have doubled in the past 24 hours, to nearly 2 Billion [[w:United States dollar|U.S. dollars]] (USD).

== [[w:Japan|Japan]] tops the [[w:United States|U.S.]] ==

After the U.S. increased it's funding donation to 350 million USD, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced a half-billion dollar donation on Saturday, Jan. 1. [[w:People's Republic of China|China]] has promised 60.5 million USD, after Japan and the U.S., the [[w:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]] and
[[w:Sweden|Sweden]] for largest single-nation donation.
[[w:Norway|Norway]] increased it's funding donation to 180 million USD

== [[w:United Nations|U.N.]] warns of delays ==

Despite the encouraging promises, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Indonesia chief, Michael Elmquist, warned that logistics of securing the funds, purchasing supplies and shipping them to stricken regions will take time, possibly weeks. In the meantime, the confirmed death toll will continue to climb, as may deaths due to dehydration, disease, and starvation.

== References ==

*{{source|url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20050101/ts_nm/quake_dc |title=Aid Pledges Rise for Tsunami Disaster, Disease Lurks |author=Tomi Soetjipto and Dean Yates |pub=Yahoo! News/Reuters |date=Sat, Jan 01, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=1&u=/ap/20050101/ap_on_re_as/tsunami |title=Sri Lanka Floods Force Mass Evacuations |author=Chris Brummitt, Associated Press Writer |pub=Yahoo! News/Associated Press |date=Sat, Jan 01, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=1&u=/afp/20050101/ts_afp/asiaquake_050101181418 
|title=Tsunami aid tops 1.6 billion dollars but survivors still waiting |author=AFP Staff |pub=Yahoo! News/Agence France-Presse |date=Sat Jan 1, 1:14 PM ET}}
*{{source|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article940443.ece 
|title=Aid keeps pouring in in Norway |author=Aftenposten |pub=Aftenposten |date=Mon Jan 3}}


[[Category:2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami]]
[[Category:Earthquakes]]
[[Category:United Nations]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:China]]
[[Category:Norway]]
[[Category:Sweden]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
{{publish}}
{{archive}}
{{PD-Article}}
[[Category:Junichiro Koizumi]]
In an abrupt about-face, the world's wealthiest nations have begun pouring funding into the Earthquake/Tsunami damaged region. Promised funds have doubled in the past 24 hours, to nearly 2 Billion U.S. dollars (USD).
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami Earthquakes United Nations United States Japan China Norway Sweden United Kingdom Junichiro Koizumi