Donors promise to top up U.N. humanitarian emergency fund with over $358 million next year, falling short of annual target of $450 million
BOGOTA (AlertNet) – Donors have promised to top up the United Nations’ emergency fund with more than $358 million next year, money that will help relief groups respond to humanitarian crises, but the amount fell short of the annual target of $450 million.
U.N. assembly member-states and observers met in New York on Tuesday to announce their pledges to the U.N. pot of rainy-day cash, known as the Central Emergency Response Fund or CERF, during a two-day conference.
Nearly 60 countries promised funds, with Sweden, the biggest donor, pledging almost $70 million, followed by Britain which committed $63 million.
“In these tough economic times, this is a significant success for CERF,” Valerie Amos, the U.N. Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told reporters on the sidelines of the conference.
The emergency fund was created five years ago to provide instant funds and speed up the handout of money to U.N. agencies and non-governmental organisations that provide relief in the wake of natural disasters and armed conflict. The fund also aims to fill the gaps in under-funded emergencies and neglected crises, such as, for example, lead poisoning in Nigeria and hunger in Africa’s Sahel region.
CERF has become a key source of funding for U.N. agencies, particularly those working in sub-Saharan Africa. This year the emergency fund has disbursed some $405 million to humanitarian agencies in more than 40 countries, with a large share funding aid work for survivors of the earthquake in Haiti and floods in Pakistan.
Most agree that the emergency fund has allowed U.N. humanitarian agencies to jump-start relief work and to act immediately rather than having to wait for cash to come in after an appeal has been launched.
However, donors raised concerns about poor coordination between U.N. agencies and the lack of clarity over which criteria the fund uses to allocate cash to emergencies. Some donors also highlighted the need for a better way to measure CERF’s impact on the ground.
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