Central Emergency Response Fund releases US$14.9 million to support newly displaced in Iraq [EN/AR/KU]

(Erbil, 18 December 2014): Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos has approved the allocation of nearly US$15 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support newly displaced families in Iraq.

"This contribution is extremely timely given the persistent increase in displacement of the Iraqi population since September,” Jacqueline Badcock, the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, said. “It shows the concern of the humanitarian community over the dearth of funds for the newly displaced.”

The funds will help respond to the most urgent needs of up to 200,000 newly displaced people in northern and central Iraq since September. Life-saving activities in the areas of shelter, basic household items, food, health, protection, and water and sanitation will support displaced families in their distress.

Emergency assistance will be provided in areas where the vast majority of those displaced since September have concentrated. These areas include Kirkuk and Anbar governorates; the Kifri and Khanaqin areas of northern Diyala; and some areas of Sulaymaniyah governorate.

This is the first allocation from the CERF after the revision of the Strategic Response Plan in October 2014. It comes in response as humanitarian conditions in Iraq continue to deteriorate and the need for life-saving interventions outpaces funding. With previous contributions nearly exhausted, further international humanitarian funding is urgently needed.

“We hope these funds will trigger additional funds that will allow us to work particularly in Kirkuk and other areas that are receiving thousands of newly displaced people,” Jacqueline Badcock said.

More than 2 million people have been displaced across Iraq since January due to ongoing violence, making it one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world today. This is in addition to the more than 228,000 Syrian refugees hosted in the country, as well an estimated one million Iraqis displaced over the past decade.

Of the 5.2 million across Iraq now in need of humanitarian assistance, over 2 million are displaced, 1.5 million are in host communities and 1.7 million are not displaced, but highly vulnerable, living in areas outside government control and below the poverty line.

Since 2006, 125 UN Member States and dozens of private-sector donors and regional Governments have contributed $3.7 billion to the fund. CERF has allocated more than $3.6 billion for humanitarian agencies operating in 88 countries and territories.

For further information, please contact: David Swanson, OCHA Public Information Officer, swanson@un.org, Cell +964 750-377-0849 OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int.