(New York, 5 September 2019): Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock released today US$75 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support responses to eight underfunded emergencies. The countries covered are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Mali, Sudan, and Venezuela and the neighbouring region. With $125 million released in April, the CERF has now allocated $200 million through its Underfunded Emergencies Window this year – the most in its history.

“This CERF allocation will allow aid workers to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to more than 4 million of the world’s most vulnerable people affected by conflict, natural disasters, and other crises,” said Lowcock. “The funds enable the United Nations and humanitarian partners to fill critical gaps in the treatment of acute malnutrition, primary health care, emergency education, protection, and provision of shelter, water, food and emergency livelihood assistance for people in need.”

Support to women and girls and assistance to persons with disabilities will be prioritized under the allocation. The money will also be used to sustain services and protection for refugees and internally displaced people who are suffering through protracted displacement from their homes, as well as people in host communities and returnees.

“This allocation to help boost response efforts in eight crises was only made possible by the increasing generosity and diversity of donors to the CERF. I am grateful to all Member States and other donors who have made this possible,” said Lowcock.

“But this allocation covers only a portion of the most urgent needs. There are 37 million people in need in the eight crises. With millions of people’s lives at stake, I urge donors to now provide further funding for the humanitarian response in each of these underfunded crises.”

The allocations for underfunded emergencies are based on a detailed data analysis of more than 60 humanitarian indicators and extensive consultations with stakeholders.

About the CERF

Established by the UN General Assembly in 2005 as a global fund ‘for all, by all’ CERF is a critical enabler of timely, effective and life-saving humanitarian action supporting UN agencies and their partners to kick start or reinforce emergency response across the world. Since its inception, the Fund has assisted hundreds of millions of people by providing $6 billion across 105 countries and territories thanks to the generous and consistent support from its donors, including $2.1 billion to underfunded emergencies,

For further information, please contact:
Russell Geekie, OCHA Spokesperson, [email protected], Tel. +1 212 963 8340
Hayat Abu-Saleh, Public Information Officer, [email protected], Tel. +1 917 224 9751