The chief of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Martin Griffiths has released US $ 100 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Friday to boost underfunded humanitarian operations in eleven countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. As people’s lives and livelihoods are threatened by conflict, hunger, climate emergencies, and forced displacement, the United Nations (UN) need to assist 204 million of the most vulnerable people around the world.
According to OCHA, global humanitarian funding requirements reached $ 49.5 billion in 2022, and with $17.6 billion received so far from donors, the gap is nearly $32 billion — the widest it has ever been. This gap leaves millions of families without life-saving support, especially in crises with little international attention.
The new allocation will help scale up humanitarian operations in Yemen ($20 million), South Sudan ($14 million), Myanmar ($10 million) and Nigeria ($10 million). Funding will also go to Bangladesh ($9 million), Uganda ($8 million), Venezuela ($8 million), Mali ($7 million), Cameroon ($6 million), Mozambique ($5 million) and Algeria ($3 million). With this additional funding, CERF has allocated a record $250 million so far this year through its Underfunded Emergencies window. Donors have already pledged $502 million for CERF in 2022.
The Central Emergency Response Fund is one of the fastest instruments available to help people affected by humanitarian crises. Managed by OCHA, the fund enables timely, effective and life-saving humanitarian action by UN agencies and partner organizations to kick-start or reinforce emergency response anywhere it is required. Funding decisions for underfunded emergencies are based on detailed analysis of more than 90 humanitarian indicators and consultation with stakeholders.
Since its creation by the UN General Assembly in 2005, and with contributions from 130 Member States and observers, as well as other donors including private individuals, the Central Emergency Response Fund has assisted hundreds of millions of people with more than $8 billion across more than 110 countries and territories. This includes more than $2.7 billion to underfunded crises. CERF has an annual funding target of $1 billion.
Further information
Full text: UN releases $100 million for underfunded humanitarian crises, press release by OCHA, published 16. September 2022
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/un-releases-100-million-underfunded-humanitarian-crises
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