UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video message at the event that donations to the fund save lives.
He urged member states to “dig deeper”, urging new donors to step forward to meet the $1 billion-a-year target to support allocations next year.
Helping people all over the world.
CERF was established by the UN General Assembly in 2005 and is one of the main instruments for providing fast and flexible humanitarian financing in situations such as conflict or climate-related disasters, while also investing in anticipatory action.
Since then, more than $9 billion has been deployed by CERF partner UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, to support people in more than 100 countries and territories, including Lebanon, to provide adequate shelter and access to families displaced by recent hostilities. It provides protection.
Aya Farhat, a young girl from Braachit village, is one of the beneficiaries. Her family lost their home and she had to move between seven schools. They initially stayed in a small, cluttered room and had difficulty falling asleep.
“Now we have found a better room to stay in and I am very happy,” Aya said in a video played at the opening ceremony. “Fortunately, they are with their families and no one is separated or missing.”
‘UN success story’
CERF is a “UN success story,” the Secretary-General said in his message, praising the Fund’s unique, effective and important role.
“A first responder to crisis situations based on quick analysis, quick decisions, and quick action, and putting people first. – and start relief as soon as possible,” he said.
He noted that since its inception, more than 60 beneficiary countries have become donors themselves.
“But we need more support to build on CERF’s record of results,” he said.
“As humanitarian needs soar, donations are not keeping up. The need for a fully funded $1 billion CERF has never been greater..”
Critical to humanitarian response
Newly appointed UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher echoed the appeal.
He said humanitarians were seeking $47 billion in 2025 to help 190 million people in 72 countries and that CERF was “absolutely critical” to that effort.
Mr Fletcher recently traveled to war-torn Sudan and neighboring Chad, where nearly half a million people have fled the fighting.
“I met people whose lives were torn apart by conflict. I have witnessed the incredible generosity of our host community. I have seen humanitarians work with courage, ingenuity and professionalism. And in that response, I saw how CERF was a critical force in the humanitarian response.“He said.
After taking office, he said, “CERF is more than just the funding it provides. It’s also about how it works.” And he gave three reasons.
Fast, flexible and innovative.
Mr Fletcher said CERF was fast. For example, funding was released just hours after an emergency appeal for Lebanon was launched following a surge in hostilities in September.
CERF will also commit $200 million to underfunded humanitarian response in 17 countries this year, providing a lifeline to marginalized people in crisis, he continued. The majority of the funding was used to support local responders and strengthen interventions for the most vulnerable people.
“In places like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), CERF has provided vital support to survivors of gender-based violence,” he said. “and CERF’s allocations to underfunded emergencies help shed light on underserved crises and inform broader donor decision-making..”
Lastly, Mr. Fletcher said CERF drives innovation to maximize the impact of every dollar provided by donors. Thanks to support for the new Climate Action Account, CERF has allocated $10 million to nine countries.
“Not only has it saved lives, it has also helped communities build resilience to future climate shocks, including projects to build flood-resistant vegetable gardens and install solar pumps,” he added.
Additionally, CERF has expanded its support for anticipated actions to more than $100 million. This meant that within six minutes of a flood warning being issued in September, the Fund was able to deploy $3.4 million in Nepal to help people prepare and save countless lives.
“As ‘SG’ just said, CERF is a UN success story, but more importantly, a success story for the humanitarian movement.“He told member states.
“But imagine… imagine what more we could do together if it were fully funded.”
$349 million pledge
The U.N. humanitarian office, OCHA, reported later Tuesday that 44 donors at the meeting pledged $349 million for CERF in 2025, with other donors expected to contribute in the coming months.
“At last year’s event, donor presentations amounted to $419 million. “The roughly 17% decline is another indicator of how bleak the funding outlook for 2025 will be,” the agency said in a press release.
