Background

• Category 3 Cyclone Nargis made landfall on 2 May in the Irrawaddy delta region.
• Unofficial estimates suggest the number of dead or missing is in the region of 217,000.
• State media is reporting 34,273 dead, 1,403 injured and 27,836 missing.
• Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander on 15 May announced an extra £12 million to finance the UK's humanitarian response, bringing the UK’s overall support to £17 million so far.
• The Deputy Head of Mission of the British Embassy took part on an official visit to affected communities in the Rangoon area today, organized by the Burmese authorities
• Foreign Office Minister, Lord Malloch-Brown travelled to Burma on 17 May. The Minister met with members of the ruling regime to talk about the situation in the Irrawaddy delta region, and delivered a letter from the Prime Minister to the Burmese leader Than Shwe.
• Douglas Alexander visited Rangoon on 25 May to attend the UN/ASEAN Cyclone Nargis International Pledging conference.

The UK's contribution to the international relief effort

Read about the United Kingdom's contribution to the international relief effort on the website of the Department for International Development.

Latest statements

The Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander on 15 May announces an extra £12 million to finance the UK’s humanitarian response to Cyclone Nargis

Prime Minister criticises the "despicable regime" in Burma for obstructing aid, and calls the cyclone a "man-made catastrophe"

The Foreign Secretary answered Parliamentary Questions on Burma on 13 May

Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, made a statement to Parliament on 8 May

Statement by Foreign Office Minister Meg Munn (05/05/08)

Latest media

 

Foreign Secretary speaks to BBC World News on Friday 23 May

Foreign Office Minister, Lord Malloch-Brown, on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on 18 May

Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown speaks to the  media during a visit to Thailand

Mark Canning, interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme on 14 May

The Foreign Secretary interview on the BBC's 'The World Tonight'  programme on 13 May

Prime Minister calls for 'unfettered access' to aid agencies providing support to cyclone victims [12 May]

Foreign Secretary interviewed on The BBC Politics Show on 11 May 

Foreign Secretary interviewed on World this Weekend on 11 May

Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, interviewed on the Andrew Marr show on 11 May

The Foreign Secretary and French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, joint article for The Times newspaper. (Word 26kb)

Mark Canning  spoke to BBC Radio Five Breakfast on 9 May [transcript, word 33kb]

Mark Canning, talking to British journalists by phone [audio, 2.5mb]

Mark Canning, spoke to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on 9 May (transcript, Word 37KB)