CERF Newsletter Mar 2009

Qatar pledges $40 million to the UN for humanitarian aid

Qatar announced a donation of $40 million to the United Nations for its humanitarian programmes worldwide. Thirty million dollars has been pledged for emergency operations in Gaza while $10 million will go to CERF, making Qatar the ninth-largest contributor to the Fund for 2009.

Of the $30 million, $10 million has been allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for lifesaving activities, and $10 million for the World Food Programme's (WFP) emergency food assistance for more than one million Gazans. Five million dollars has been allocated for humanitarian programmes of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and $2.25 million for the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) activities in support of the damaged agricultural sector. The remaining $2.75 million will go to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for coordination and advocacy activities.

Since 2006, more than 100 member states and private sector donors have contributed some $1.5 billion to CERF, which is managed by OCHA.

UN humanitarian chief travels to Chocó region in Colombia

On a recent mission to Colombia, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) John Holmes travelled to the Chocó region in the northwest, where he met with representatives of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities who have been affected by floods, displacement and violence.

In Bebedó, which is an Afro-Colombian community, the ERC saw first hand some of the humanitarian assistance made possible by a CERF grant. In January 2009, $3.1 million was allocated to the UN humanitarian team to assist flood-affected populations in the region.

Colombia is currently the fourth largest recipient of CERF funding for 2009. It has received $5 million in the first round of CERF's underfunded window of 2009.

In Bebedó, the ERC met community leaders and families whose homes had been destroyed by severe flooding in November 2008. Community leaders explained the many challenges they face from recurrent flooding as well as high levels of poverty and the effects of conflict in the area.

"I was impressed by the resilience of the community," the ERC said. "While they are receiving much needed help from the government, WFP, UNICEF and others, it is clear that they are doing everything they can to try to help themselves, and restore their livelihoods."

The ERC also met representatives of the Wounaan tribe of indigenous people. They explained how they were displaced and continue to face major problems in pursuing their traditional way of life. They are effectively confined to their village by the presence of armed groups and landmines and lack education, health care, and livelihood opportunities.

"Talking to the indigenous leaders brought home the depth of the vulnerability and problems faced by these communities," the ERC said. "They will not survive without a lot of help," he added.