Report of the Secretary General 2016

The present report provides a description of the activities of the Central Emergency Response Fund carried out from 1 January to 31 December 2016, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 71/127. The Fund has continued to demonstrate its value in supporting targeted life-saving assistance to people experiencing humanitarian crises. During the reporting period, the Emergency Relief Coordinator approved $438.9 million for 439 projects in 47 countries. In addition, a loan of nearly $8 million was approved from the Fund’s loan facility. As at 31 December 2016, the Fund had received $426.3 million for 2016, which is just under 95 per cent of its annual target of $450 million. The shortfall was attributable in part to a strong United States dollar vis-à-vis core donor currencies. In December 2016, in order to meet rising humanitarian needs, the Assembly adopted resolution 71/127, in which it called for increasing voluntary contributions to the Fund in order to achieve an annual funding level of $1 billion by 2018.