Press Releases

(New York, 6 May 2021): The United Nations has released US$65 million for the humanitarian response in Ethiopia. More than 16 million people need humanitarian assistance throughout Ethiopia, including an estimated 4.5 million in the Tigray region.

The $65 million released today is made up of $45 million from the UN-managed Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund, $25 million of which is earmarked for Tigray, and $20 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), $15 million of which will be dedicated to Tigray.

(New York, 24 March 2021): UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock today released US$14 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide urgent shelter and other assistance to tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees after a devastating fire tore through the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh — the world’s largest refugee camp — on 22 March.

Estimates indicate that the fire displaced more than 45,000 mostly Rohingya refugees, originally from neighbouring Myanmar, with many more affected. A hospital and other critical health, nutrition and education structures were destroyed.

The CERF funds will help set up and rebuild shelter and provide affected people with urgent water and sanitation services, food, mental and psychosocial health assistance and other emergency services.

The UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, said: “This fire has ripped through one of the most vulnerable communities in the world. Rohingya refugees need our support now more than ever, as the pandemic continues to take its toll and they approach the monsoon season. “Rohingya refugees themselves have always stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the aid workers, volunteering their services to support response efforts in the camps. Now is the moment for the international community to stand by them.”

(New York, 17 December 2020): The United Nations has released US$35.6 million for water, sanitation, medical supplies and protection for civilians caught up in Ethiopia’s Tigray region conflict.

Weeks of fighting in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region have reportedly left hundreds of people dead, thousands displaced and millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 50,000 people, almost half of them children, have arrived in Sudan since November.

In Ethiopia, the UN’s emergency funds will help health facilities get medicines, gloves and other supplies to care for the sick and injured, and fund nutrition, drinking water and shelter. In Sudan, the funding will prioritize life-saving assistance to refugees, including shelter, health care and drinking water.

The UN humanitarian chief has released $13 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help people inside Ethiopia and $5 million for refugees newly arrived in Sudan. On top of this funding, $12 million has been released from the UN’s Humanitarian Fund in Ethiopia and $5.6 million from the UN’s Sudan Humanitarian Fund.

Women, children, older people and disabled people will be prioritized as the funding is disbursed.

(New York, 8 December 2020) - At today’s high-level pledging event for the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), over 50 donors announced pledges totalling more than US$370 million for 2021 – higher than those made at the pledging event a year ago for 2020. With top-ups for 2020 also announced today, overall funding for this year has reached $620 million.

“This year was like no other, with the COVID-19 pandemic adding a layer of suffering on top of existing crises, brought on by conflict and the intensifying impacts of climate change,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the event’s opening. “This fund is one of the fastest ways to help people trapped both in sudden-onset and deteriorating crises, as well as underfunded ones that are not at the top of the world’s radar.”