United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called for increased support to expand the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and reach its target of $1 billion. Speaking at the annual pledging event for CERF, Guterres emphasized its success in providing funding quickly to people in crisis. He highlighted its recent deployments in Sudan and Gaza and described CERF as a unique and irreplaceable humanitarian initiative.
The Central Emergency Response Fund
İçerik Tablosu
CERF, established in 2006, enables rapid and effective humanitarian response to crises worldwide. As a pooled fund, it provides timely financial assistance to address urgent needs and protect vulnerable communities. Other allocations by the Fund in 2023 included responses to earthquakes in Afghanistan, floods in Bangladesh, violence and displacement in Burkina Faso, drought in Djibouti, and the crises in Haiti, Syria, and Turkey.
CERF for climate action
Guterres also emphasized that CERF facilitates effective climate action by providing additional financing to address climate-related disasters. He thanked donors for their support and urged more contributions to meet the funding target of $1 billion agreed upon seven years ago.
A ‘for all, by all’ fund
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, managing CERF on behalf of the Secretary-General, echoed Guterres’ call for full funding. He highlighted CERF’s lifesaving impact and emphasized its critical role as a fund for all. Griffiths stated that CERF is among the first to act in times of crisis, providing a small gesture of kindness and respect for affected populations.