WHO: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Member States WHAT: High-Level Pledging Event for the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in 2023

WHEN: Friday, 9 December 2022, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (EST)

WHERE: ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York

The event will be webcast on UN WebTV and livestreamed on Twitter and YouTube.

The High-Level Pledging Event aims to galvanize greater financial commitments so CERF can remain fit to respond to the increasing levels and complexities of global humanitarian needs.

CERF was established by the UN General Assembly in 2005 as the Organization’s global emergency response fund, and has received generous contributions from Member States, observers, international organizations, the private sector and others. To date, the Fund, whose annual funding target is $1 billion, has helped hundreds of millions of people with over $8 billion in more than 110 countries and territories.

In 2022, CERF has allocated more than $700 million to support millions of people in need of urgent assistance in some 40 countries. This included kickstarting operations immediately after the war began in Ukraine, as well as responding to weather-related emergencies, including in Cuba, which was pummeled by Hurricane Ian in September.

Also, this year, CERF has provided $200 million to address worsening food insecurity, as well as $250 million towards critically underfunded humanitarian o perations in 23 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. Ahead of projected climaterelated shocks, the Fund helped to prevent suffering and preserve livelihoods in places such as Nepal, before the country experienced peak flooding.

Since CERF was established, global funding needs through humanitarian appeals have increased nearly sevenfold from $5.2 billion in 2006 to assist 32 million people to $51 billion in 2023 to help 224 million people in need.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs