Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid, on Tuesday, highlighted the importance of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) amid the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Shahid expressed the sentiment during the CERF High-level Pledging Event for the year 2020.
Hosted virtually under the theme 'A Fund for All by All' by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the 2020 event highlighted CERF's annual achievements and invited all member states to announce their pledges for the upcoming year.
Speaking at the event, Minister Shahid stated that the world was now dependent on the lifesaving and critical work carried out by the CERF and particularly noted the fund's vital role in swiftly disbursing targeted assistance to support the global pandemic response.
In addition to CERF’s rapid response and anticipatory actions regarding COVID-19, the foreign minister stated that the fund's efforts in response to natural disasters and other emergencies significantly mitigated the humanitarian impact of such events.
He also expressed appreciation for CERF's endeavours to support vulnerable populations, while prioritising women, girls and people with disabilities.
The minister went on to acknowledge the importance of disbursing funds through UN agencies in order to ensure that resources are allocated to areas with the greatest need with the required expertise.
Concluding his remarks, Minister Shahid commended CERF's inclusive nature, noting that the fund embodied the spirit of multilateralism and utilised collective action to effectively respond to urgent humanitarian crises.
Established in 2005 by the United Nations General Assembly, CERF was intended to facilitate and promote fast and effective humanitarian aid around the world. Following its inception in 2006, the fund has delivered lifesaving assistance worth more than USD 5.5 billion to over 100 countries via humanitarian partners.
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