Record-high support to UN emergency fund

“When the Covid-19 crisis hit us, and everything else faced an abrupt halt, Cerf took the lead by quickly releasing funds. By doing this, operational agencies were able to ensure continued operations and lives were saved,” said State Secretary Marte Ziolkowski.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund ensures that aid reaches people in need quickly when acute crises arise.  It also provides sorely needed funding for underfunded emergencies.

“Norway is a strong and committed supporter of Cerf. Cerf is not only delivering on its mandate of being rapid, efficient and needs based - Cerf is an agenda setter and in the forefront when it comes to finding innovative solutions and new ways of working. Norway is proud to be one of the largest donors to Cerf since the establishment,” Ziolkowski said.

In 2018, Norway signed a four-year agreement with Cerf, totalling 1.68 billion Norwegian kroner, or approximately 200 million USD. Today’s pledge is a top up of this agreement.

“Predictable and early funding is vital to ensure the effectiveness of the Fund. We need to make sure that assistance reaches as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” Ziolkowski said.