Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator urges early and balanced funding for 2009 humanitarian appeal

(Geneva/New York, 15 January 2009): Stressing the vital need for early funding to allow for timely implementation of humanitarian programmes in 2009, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Catherine Bragg, chaired the "Kick-off" meeting in Geneva to encourage support for this year's US $7.0 billion humanitarian appeal.

The event followed the launch of the Humanitarian Appeal 2009 on 19 November 2008. John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, launched twelve Consolidated Appeals ('CAPs') for specific emergencies, seeking US$ 7.0 billion to help 31 million people in 30 countries. A record number of 360 non-governmental organisations, United Nations agencies, and other international and local organisations are appealing for funds in the Humanitarian Appeal 2009.

Today's "Kick-off" meeting provided the international community with an opportunity to state their humanitarian priorities and funding intentions over 2009. Coordination among donors is also a goal, to reduce funding imbalances which in the past have seen some crises well-funded or even over-funded, while others struggle with less than half of the required humanitarian funding. Since its inception, the meeting has proved to be extremely productive. Whereas in the first quarter of 2004, donors committed only 19% of the eventual total CAP funding for the year, by 2008 that proportion had risen to 50%. Funding imbalances among crises have also diminished in recent years. "Early, timely and balanced funding enhances the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance improving the impact on alleviating suffering and saving lives," Ms. Bragg explained.

Humanitarian aid strategies for African countries dominate the Humanitarian Appeal 2009, which seeks funding for Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Iraq and the region, occupied Palestinian territory, Kenya, Chad, the West Africa region, Uganda, Central African Republic, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Ms. Bragg chaired the event. H.E. Prof. Arsene Balihuta, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Uganda, Dr. Eric Laroche, Assistant Director-General of WHO for Health Action in Crises, Mr. Kim Eling, Counsellor of the European Commission Delegation in Geneva, and Ms. Susan Nicolai, Senior Education Advisor of Save the Children, also addressed the gathering.