Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Pledging Conference
10 December 2007
South Africa will on Thursday, 13 December 2007, pledge an amount of R1,8
million to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in New
York as part of the annual CERF Pledging Conference.
The CERF which became operational in March 2006 was created in response to
the increasing number of natural onset disasters and complex humanitarian
emergencies that has had a huge impact on the capability of the United Nations
humanitarian response mechanism to act swiftly in order to alleviate human
suffering and protect the victims.
South Africa was one of the original sponsors of the creation of the new
CERF, as it fully supports the ideals of CERF to promote early action and
response to reduce loss of life; to enhance response to time-critical
requirements based on demonstrative needs and to strengthen the core elements
of humanitarian response in under-funded crises. South Africa's participation
in CERF should also be seen in the broader context of UN reform, within the
humanitarian arena, to make the UN humanitarian response system more effective,
more co-ordinated and in direct response to the needs of the affected
communities.
South Africa has already contributed twice the amounts of R1,8 million to
the Fund during the December 2005 and 2006, and is one of the few developing,
non traditional donor countries to have contributed. In further recognition of
the humanitarian assistance role played by on the Continent and developing
world in general, the former Secretary-General appointed Ambassador
Secretary-General Nene, Deputy Director-General: Multilateral in the Department
of Foreign Affairs, during May 2006, as one of two vice-chairs elect of the
CERF Advisory Group. The Advisory Group consists of 12 members whose primary
aim is to provide guidance and expert advice to the UN Relief co-ordinator on
the use and impact of the CERF.
The Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced in
March 2007 that since its launch in March 2006, the CERF has in total allocated
$460 million to over 530 projects in nearly 50 countries. It also highlighted
the fact that in contrast to previous efforts, where it took up to four months
for funds to reach areas affected by disasters, funds could now be made
available through CERF within 72 hours.
More recently and since January 2007, OCHA announced that the CERF has
committed US$193,8 million to rapid response grants in 45 countries and US$124
million to under-funded emergencies in 23 countries, primarily African
countries. South Africa is in particular in supportive of providing funds
through CERF to the forgotten emergencies, which is influenced by the so-called
"CNN effect" where funding tends to dry up after the media start focussing on
other issues. CERF in particular aims to address the existing imbalance in
global aid distribution, by also focusing on these neglected or forgotten
crises. As of 29 November 2007, 54 donors have contributed US$350 million to
the CERF this year, with OCHA hoping to reach the goal of US$500 million before
the end of the financial year.
South Africa already plays a significant role in the UN humanitarian
response system through financial contributions to various UN humanitarian
agencies that operate on the Continent, for example the Food and Agriculture
Organisation/ World Food Programme (FAO and WFP), OCHA and the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). South Africa has in the past three
years provided humanitarian assistance to various countries affected by natural
disasters, catastrophes and general humanitarian crisis, including the victims
of the 2004 Tsunami, the 2006 Indonesian Earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, the
floods in Mozambique and the drought in Southern and East Africa.
Many countries in Africa, which have been hardest hit by natural disasters
and humanitarian crisis, will benefit if the Fund succeeds through the support
of UN member states, in particular from donor countries. South Africa through
it is representation in the CERF Advisory Group will continue to advance the
agenda of the forgotten emergencies in Africa and in the developing world in
general. South Africa's active engagement with the UN humanitarian system and
active role in the provisioning of humanitarian assistance to the victims of
natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies should be seen in the
context of South Africa's foreign policy.
South Africa therefore also appeals to the donor countries to support CERF
and make the necessary financial contributions in order for the Fund to succeed
for the benefit of humanity and to achieve the goal of US$500 million for CERF
as envisioned during its creation. South Africa also appeals to donors to
provide funding to CERF in addition to funding intended for other development
or humanitarian emergencies.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
10 December 2007
