Press Releases

The United Nations humanitarian chief released US$45 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to four neglected emergencies, where more than 21 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad and Sudan. The funds will sustain and scale up critical aid operations by humanitarian partners in these countries, where life-saving needs are alarmingly high but funding is critically low.

“This funding is a lifeline for millions of people who struggle in crises away from the headlines. Focusing largely on longstanding conflict-related crises, this allocation will address the most urgent needs of affected people. CERF funding allows donor contributions to go further, reaching those who need our help the most,” says UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mr. Stephen O’Brien. “I thank all donors to CERF that made this possible.”

A large portion of these funds will reach people affected by displacement – one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges in today’s world. The funds will enable humanitarian partners to provide critical health care, food assistance, access to clean water and sanitation and other types of humanitarian aid. However, this funding addresses only a small portion of the urgent humanitarian needs in the countries.

With more than 142 million people who need humanitarian aid globally, a larger and more robust CERF is critical so that aid reaches those who need it the most. To this end, the United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the expansion of CERF’s annual funding target from $450 million to $1 billion by 2018. All Member States are encouraged to provide more to this fund by all for all. “The spotlight on underfunded emergencies is unique to the mandate of CERF, enabling urgent response to where the needs are greatest and not to where the noise is loudest. A bigger CERF is critical to address our common goal to leave no one behind. I urge your continuous support,” O’Brien says.

The annual high-level pledging event in December 2017 will be a milestone towards CERF’s new funding target and reinforce the critical role the Fund plays in meeting humanitarian challenges, including those in neglected crises.

Since 2006, donor contributions to CERF have enabled the UN agencies, funds and programmes, and their implementing partners to provide over $4.7 billion in life-saving assistance, of which $1.6 billion has been allocated to underfunded emergencies. Twice a year, CERF allocates one-third of its funds through the Underfunded Emergencies window. On average, more than half of CERF-funded humanitarian action addresses the needs of women and girls.

With the Horn of Africa facing one of the worst droughts in decades, more than 5.6 million people in Ethiopia alone are in desperate need of life’s basic necessities. To provide time-critical aid to more than 785,000 people suffering from hunger, malnutrition and severe water shortages in Ethiopia’s worst-hit Somali region, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien has released US$18.5 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

“I was recently in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, where I saw the devastating impact this drought is having on people’s lives, livestock and livelihoods. We must act today,” said O’Brien. “Time lost means lives lost so I am releasing CERF funding to provide urgent aid to people in need – now – when they need it most.”

The CERF funds will immediately provide affected people with access to water, and health, nutritional and agricultural services. The funds will help pastoralist communities in the Somali region who are most in need, thousands of whom have been forced to move in search of water and pasture.

The current drought has hit Ethiopia before it could recover from the effects of a devastating El Niño-induced drought in 2015 and 2016 which left more than 10 million people in urgent need of aid in 2016. While the Government and humanitarian partners implemented a remarkably effective response with generous donor support last year, millions of vulnerable Ethiopians are still facing prolonged drought.

“The CERF grant covers only a small portion of what is required in 2017 to address the rising hunger and malnutrition levels,” said Mr. O’Brien. “Humanitarians will use these funds to save lives, but it is a bridge that must be matched and surpassed urgently. Millions of people’s lives, livelihoods and wellbeing depend on continued donor support.”

Over the past two years, CERF allocated a total of US$47 million to aid operations in Ethiopia.

Around the globe, the ever increasing scale and intensity of emergencies points to the need for a larger CERF to keep pace with the growing needs. To this end, the UN General Assembly in December 2016 endorsed former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s recommendation to double CERF’s annual target to US$1 billion by 2018. Member States and partners are urged to contribute to the fund so that more lives can be saved together.

Secretary-General António Guterres released US$100 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to sustain aid operations in nine neglected emergencies. CERF’s largest allocation of the year will reach more than 6 million people in crises where levels of vulnerability are alarmingly high but funding remains critically low. These countries are Cameroon, DPRK, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia and Uganda.

“CERF is a lifeline for people caught up in crises that don’t make the headlines but where needs are just as urgent.” explains the Secretary-General. “This funding is crucial so that UN and partners can continue assisting people who need our help so desperately. I thank all Member States and donors who have made this possible.”

A large portion of funds will reach people affected by displacement - one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges in today’s world where more than 65 million people are displaced. CERF funds will ensure that millions of people who fled Boko Haram related violence and conflict in Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon will receive health care, food assistance and shelter. In Somalia, Uganda and Libya, CERF will bring relief to internally displaced people and refugees from neighbouring countries. Urgent support will also reach those suffering from malnutrition and food insecurity in Madagascar, Mali and DPRK.

“CERF is one of the fastest ways to provide urgent aid.” says Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien. “As we race to address the humanitarian challenges of today, a US$1billion CERF is vital so that help reaches people, whenever and wherever crises hit. A strong CERF, for all by all, is a key step towards our shared commitment to leave no one behind.”

This allocation of $100 million addresses only a small portion of urgent humanitarian needs. As the scale and intensity of emergencies continue to increase, a larger, more robust CERF is needed so that aid can reach people, whenever and wherever crises hit. To this end, the UN General Assembly has endorsed former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s recommendation to double CERF’s annual target to US$1 billion by 2018.

Today the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) hosted its High-Level pledging conference for 2017. Thirty-three donors pledged US$273 million to the Fund to support urgent aid whenever, wherever crises hit.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the conference. “I am proud to have served as UN Secretary-General during much of CERF’s successful first decade,” he said. “A strong United Nations needs a strong CERF.”

Since CERF was established in 2006, its annual funding target of $450 million has remained unchanged. During these years, global humanitarian needs have quadrupled and more than 128 million people are in need of assistance today. The ever-increasing scale and intensity of emergencies points to the need for a larger, more robust CERF to address the growing needs. To that end, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called to increase the Fund’s annual target to $1 billion by 2018. Last week, Member States answered this call for solidarity by adopting the United Nations General Assembly in RES A/71/L.32 in support of a target more in line with the escalating requirements.

Following the Secretary-General’s remarks, a high-level panel, moderated by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, discussed why the funding is needed to enable the CERF to improve the humanitarian community’s ability to assist people affected by conflict and crises, particularly displaced people and host communities. In 2016, the number of forcibly displaced people reached a record high with more than 65 million people forced from their homes. In the past two years, close to 70 per cent of CERF’s funding has been allocated (or targeted) to humanitarian operations that support displaced people and the communities hosting them.

“As we struggle to address the scale and complexity of unprecedented humanitarian challenges, CERF has never been more relevant than today,” noted Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien. “CERF is a success story that we all can be proud of. The yellow fever outbreak in Angola halted by an extensive and timely vaccination campaign is an example of where CERF played a critical role.”

The panel consisted of Mr. O’Brien, Foreign Minister to Uganda H.E. Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa, Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark H.E. Ms. Ulla Tørnæs, UNHCR High Commissioner Fililppo Grandi and UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda Ms. Rosa Malango.

Australia, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden were among the donors that announced an increase in contributions from the previous year, while Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Russian Federation, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam and the Belgian Government of Flanders pledged their support.

Established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2005 as a global fund ‘by all, for all,’ the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) marked a breakthrough in humanitarian financing. It is a critical enabler of effective, timely and life-saving humanitarian action, helping front-line partners on the ground to kick-start or reinforce emergency activities. Since its inception, the Fund has assisted hundreds of millions of people with $4.6 billion across 98 countries thanks to the generous and consistent support from its donors.

The Central Emergency Response Fund, (CERF) is releasing a grant of $5 million to address the most life-saving needs of people affected by hurricane Matthew. Earlier this week, CERF also released a loan of US$8 million dollars to UNICEF to scale up response to the worsening cholera epidemic in Haiti.

Category 4 Hurricane Matthew Tuesday smashed into Haiti with 235 kilometres per hour winds with devastating impact and left destruction in its wake. As information from the areas that were hit hardest becomes available, and as villages and coastal towns begin making contact with the outside world, the death toll soars and the scope of the damage becomes evident. Initial assessments indicate that hundreds of people have died and thousands of families have lost their homes, livestock and crops.

“We expect that homes, schools and cholera treatment facilities have been destroyed and that water systems, roads and bridges have been severely damaged. This is a major blow to Haiti’s reconstruction effort and the fight against cholera, so that’s why immediate CERF funds now will kick start vital life-saving assistance for Haitians caught up in this crisis,” said the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien.

UN agencies and humanitarian partners are working with the Government to assess the full scale of the destruction and provide emergency aid. The $5 million grant from CERF will kickstart the initial emergency response operations and meet the urgent needs of the most affected populations.

Earlier this week before the hurricane struck Haiti, CERF approved a loan of $8 million to respond to the spread of cholera in the country. Intense rains in May and June of 2016, as well as the potential loss of immunity to cholera four years after the highest peaks of the disease have increased the number of suspected cholera cases. In 2016 almost 27,000 cholera cases have been reported in Haiti, and over 240 people have died. Hurricane Matthew is feared to significantly worsen the situation and increase the risk of a larger outbreak.

With the launch of the UN’s new approach to Cholera in Haiti, announced by the SecretaryGeneral in August 2016, CERF continues to lead the way in supporting the immediate response to cholera.

Since 2010, CERF has provided nearly $90 million in grants to emergency response operations in Haiti.

“I call on ever generous donors to urgently follow CERF and support the emergency response in Haiti without delay,” said Stephen O'Brien.

CERF was established in 2006 to help agencies respond rapidly to new or deteriorating humanitarian situations. Since its inception, donors have shown great support to CERF and allowed the Fund to allocate more than $4.5 billion to support humanitarian operations in 98 countries and territories.

Considering a quadrupling of global humanitarian needs since 2006, the Secretary-General has called for a doubling of CERF to $1 billion by 2018. To ensure that CERF remains an effective tool capable of meeting the current complexity and range of crises, new contributions to CERF are immediately needed.