Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 7th Dec. UN chief António Guterres on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to deploy quick and strategic resources to global crises globally.
He called for more support so it can expand and reach its target of $1 billion.
Guterres was speaking at the annual pledging event for the CERF said it was a clear UN “success story”.
“Year after year, CERF demonstrates its unique and irreplaceable role by getting funding quickly to people in crisis and this year was no different,” he said,.
CERF was established in 2006 to enable rapid and effective humanitarian response to crises worldwide.
It provides timely financial assistance to address the urgent needs of affected populations, emphasized quick analysis, decision-making, and implementation to save lives and protect vulnerable communities as a pooled fund.
CERFallocated its funds for rapid response to earthquakes in Afghanistan, floods in Bangladesh, violence and displacement in Burkina Faso, drought in Djibouti, the crisis in Haiti, and the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye.
Mr. Guterres highlighted that while CERF remains a vital humanitarian force, it facilitates effective climate action, enable additional financing directly to address climate-related disasters.
He thanked donors for their support, urged more to step up.
“We need financial commitments that match the scale of needs. We need to meet the $1bn US dollar funding target agreed seven years ago,” he said.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths was speaking at the pledging event who manages CERF on behalf of the Secretary-General detailed its lifesaving impact, echoed Mr. Guterres’ call for full funding.
He said “CERF has proven that it is truly the ‘for all, by all’ fund, as envisaged by the General Assembly when it was created back in 2006. It needs to continue to play such a critical role”.
Mr. Griffiths said that the Fund is among the first to act at times of great crisis, providing “that first small gesture of kindness and respect for the people laid down and set down by crisis.”
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