Central Emergency Response FundCERF

Published purpose

The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) is a humanitarian fund established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006 to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts. The CERF is managed, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, by the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).With GAC’s support, the CERF is addressing its objectives which include (1) promoting early action and response to reduce loss of life; (2) enhancing response to time-critical requirements; and (3) strengthening core elements of humanitarian response in underfunded crises. The CERF is intended to complement - not to substitute for - existing humanitarian funding mechanisms such as the UN humanitarian appeals. The CERF provides seed funds to jump-start critical operations and fund life-saving programmes not yet covered by other donors. The CERF assures that the funds will go where they are most needed in the network of international aid organizations, which includes the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), among others.