Denmark has never spent so much on helping people in need due to international crises and conflicts around the world as in 2014, writes Danish daily Berlingske Tidende.

"2014 has really been a terrible year," said Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation Mogens Jensen (SocDem) to the newspaper, adding that in terms of Ministry of Foreign Affairs expenditure on humanitarian aid, it has also been one of the most costly.

In all, DKK 2.3 billion has been granted in foreign aid, which is around a billion more than in 2010. Humanitarian aid expenditure has grown year by year since then.

In addition to crises caused by war, the Ebola epidemic is another example of a catastrophe for which the UN, donor countries and private aid organisations have provided aid during a year in which the world has been spared the worst natural disasters.
Jensen also said that he does not think expenditure on humanitarian aid will be lower in 2015, noting that the current armed conflicts do not look likely to be resolved in the near future.

Twenty humanitarian crises have affected the world and the UN has classified four them as 'mega-crises'. These are: Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

Read the full story: www.dr.dk