CERF Newsletter Jan 2009

$380 MILLION PLEDGED FOR 2009 AT HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE

Member States, led by the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, met in New York on 4 December 2008 at the CERF high-level pledging conference to renew their commitment to the Fund. Despite the gloomy world economic outlook, nearly $380 million was raised by the end of the day.

Ten new supporters joined the CERF: Afghanistan, Benin, Kenya, Laos, Mozambique, Oman, St. Lucia, Samoa, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. Dominica, Gabon and Myanmar have confirmed that they will also become new contributors to the Fund in 2009. Since the Fund's inception, 104 governments have contributed to the CERF, more than half of the members of the General Assembly. Interestingly, 22 have both contributed to and received assistance from the CERF, demonstrating the "for all, by all" nature of the Fund.