NEW YORK, January 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos has announced the allocation of US$15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support relief efforts in South Sudan. As the conflict deepens and aid agencies need to quickly provide assistance to the thousands of people caught up in violence, the funding from CERF’s Rapid Response Window comes at a crucial time.
Humanitarian partners in South Sudan estimate that more than 231,000 people have been displaced since hostilities erupted on 15 December, including almost 60,000 people who have sought shelter in UN bases. A further 42,800 South Sudanese have fled to neighbouring countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
“Conditions for the South Sudanese fleeing hostilities in their country are getting worse by the day. With this CERF funding, UN humanitarian agencies will be better able to meet the needs of people desperately seeking shelter and safety,” said USG Amos.
The humanitarian country team in South Sudan will ensure that the CERF funds go to the most critical humanitarian needs in the country. UN agencies will use the funds to improve the living conditions of tens of thousands of people in overcrowded camps. The allocation will also go to air support for medical evacuations and to enable relief workers to reach people in need in places that are inaccessible or too insecure to get to by road.
Globally CERF allocated almost US$482 million in 2013, of which $11.6 million went towards relief efforts in South Sudan. Since the country gained independence in July 2011, aid agencies in South Sudan have received almost $74.4 million from CERF for critical assistance, including food, clean water, shelter and health services.
CERF was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006 to make funding for humanitarian emergencies faster and more equitable. Since then, 124 Member States and dozens of private sector donors and regional governments have pledged more than $3.3 billion to the Fund. Since its inception, CERF has allocated more than $3.2 billion for humanitarian agencies operating in 88 countries and territories.
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