CERF Newsletter Feb 2009

TAQA contributes $150,000 to CERF

The Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) has contributed $150,000 to CERF. Spurred by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the private company announced the generous contribution on 28 January 2009. TAQA is the first corporate sponsor of CERF from the Middle East.

Peter E. Barker-Homek, CEO of TAQA said, "TAQA is fully committed to help ease the suffering of the people of Gaza. Over 1.5 million people are known to have been drastically affected by the current humanitarian crisis in the region. By supporting the United Nations, we hope to make a valuable contribution to improving the lives of the huge number of people whose lives have been turned upside down by the devastating events."

Founded in 2005, TAQA is a global energy company with over 2,800 employees from 41 countries. In 2007, the company had revenue over $2 billion.

TAQA joined the UN Global Compact in 2008, a forum for businesses to advance their commitment to sustainability and corporate citizenship in support of the principles of the UN. The contribution to UN relief efforts highlights TAQA's dedication to corporate social responsibility.

Since its inception, CERF has received nearly $2.4 million in funding from private companies, foundations and individuals, including $316,000 so far in 2009.

CERF allocates $75 million to 14 underfunded crises

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Mr. John Holmes, allocated on 6 February 2009 some $75 million to boost humanitarian response in 14 chronically neglected emergencies where people are daily dying of hunger, malnutrition, disease, and conflict around the world.

The allocations are based on a combination of urgency of humanitarian needs, combined with an analysis of the funding levels for humanitarian programmes. Humanitarian actors in Zimbabwe, for example, received the largest single allocation, some $11 million. The 2009 annual humanitarian appeal for Zimbabwe is among the worst-funded, with only $82 million of the $567 million required having been received to date.

The funds made available will be granted to United Nations humanitarian agencies and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and through them to partner organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to support humanitarian projects in the affected countries. Countries were selected to receive grants based on an analysis of the funding levels of their aid programmes, the severity of the humanitarian needs, security, and other constraints on aid delivery.

Agencies working in Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Ethiopia and Somalia will receive allocations of $10 million per country. Humanitarian agencies in Yemen will receive $5 million, as will humanitarian partners in Colombia and Haiti. Meanwhile, programmes in Burundi and Niger will receive $4 million, Myanmar $3 million while Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, and Eritrea will each receive $2 million.

This is the first round of allocations from the CERF's window for underfunded emergencies in 2009. The second round will be in July. In 2008, a total of $128 million was allocated to underfunded emergencies. Since 2006, the Fund has provided over $328 million to chronically neglected crises in 33 countries.