U.N. releases annual Central Emergency Response Fund report

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday released its 2011 Annual Report of the Central Emergency Response Fund, which highlights the contributions of the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to humanitarian partners in 45 countries in 2011, the U.N. News Centre reports. "Financed by voluntary contributions from Member States, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local governments, the private sector and individual donors, the CERF is a humanitarian fund established by the United Nations to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts, helping agencies to pre-position funding for humanitarian action," the news service notes (5/29).

CERF allocated more than $427 million to 11 U.N. agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2011, according to the report, the Sudan Tribune notes, adding that "[c]limate-related emergencies due to drought, floods and storms … received more than $149 million from the fund, while over $128 million reportedly went to the Horn of Africa for people affected by drought and food insecurity" (5/30). "As in previous years, the World Food Programme (WFP) remained CERF's top-funded agency, and was given $127 million -- almost 30 percent of all CERF funds -- due to its role providing emergency food aid," and "[t]he U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) was the second-highest funded agency in 2011, receiving $109 million in support of 130 projects in 38 countries," the U.N. News Centre adds (5/29).