- The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has directed $110 million to overlooked humanitarian crises amid severe aid cuts
- Targeted countries include Sudan, Chad, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Honduras, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela, and Zambia
- Part of the funding will go toward protecting vulnerable populations from climate-related shocks
The United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated $110 million to address neglected humanitarian crises in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, even as global aid funding continues to decline.
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top humanitarian official, highlighted that more than 300 million people worldwide urgently require assistance.
However, financial support for humanitarian efforts has been steadily decreasing, with this year’s funding expected to reach a historic low.
“Brutal funding cuts don’t make humanitarian needs disappear. This emergency allocation ensures that resources reach the most vulnerable communities swiftly,” Fletcher emphasised.
Countries targeted for assistance
According to Fletcher, a third of the CERF funds will be directed toward Sudan and Chad, where many displaced Sudanese have sought refuge.
Other recipients include Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Honduras, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela, and Zambia.
Additionally, part of the funding will support initiatives to help vulnerable populations cope with climate-related disasters.
UNICEF sounds alarm over aid reductions
Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, warned that ongoing cuts to international aid severely impact the organisation’s ability to assist millions of children in need.
“Many children are caught in conflict, require life-saving vaccinations, and need access to education and healthcare,” she stated.
Russell pointed out that rising humanitarian needs far exceed available resources. Despite efforts to maximise efficiency, the shortfall is placing millions of children at risk.
“These funding cuts are fueling a global crisis that could cost countless young lives,” she cautioned.
UNICEF, which relies entirely on voluntary contributions, has played a crucial role in reducing child mortality.
Since 2000, the global under-five mortality rate has dropped by 50%. Russell urged donors to sustain their support, stating, “We cannot afford to fail the world’s children now.”
Afghanistan: A nation in crisis
Providing a stark example of aid shortages’ impact, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted Afghanistan’s dire situation.
Decades of conflict, deep-rooted poverty, climate shocks, and increasing threats, particularly for women and girls, have left more than half of the country’s population, around 23 million people, in need of humanitarian assistance.
With the Taliban in power since 2021, Afghanistan faces rising food insecurity and health crises. An estimated 3.5 million children under five, along with over a million pregnant and breastfeeding women, are at risk of acute malnutrition.
The country also remains riddled with explosive hazards from past conflicts, which kill or injure an estimated 55 people, mostly children, every month.
Dujarric warned that without adequate funding, humanitarian agencies will struggle to provide essential aid, leaving millions without the support they desperately need.
UN announces $6 million donation to Maiduguri flood victims
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United Nations committed $6 million in emergency funds to support victims of the devastating floods in Maiduguri.
The aid package was aimed at supporting victims of the devastating floods that have ravaged the region, causing widespread damage and displacement.