Report of the Secretary General 2007

The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 62/94
of 17 December 2007, and covers activities from 1 January 2007 to 30 June 2008.
Within the reporting period, a two-year evaluation of the Central Emergency
Response Fund was conducted, which concluded that the Fund has largely achieved
its objectives, and has become, in a short time frame, a valuable and impartial tool
for humanitarian action by helping to accelerate response and increase coverage of
needs, and by serving as a catalyst for improved field-level coordination and
evidence-based prioritization.
For the Fund to remain an effective tool, it must be adequately supported so
that it can reach the annual target of $500 million set by the General Assembly on a
consistent basis. All Member States are encouraged to contribute to the Fund to
ensure the Assembly’s “global engagement” and as a gesture of solidarity with those
affected by disasters around the world. A high-level conference on the Central
Emergency Response Fund in December 2008 will be an opportunity to increase
political and financial support for the Fund.