Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy, TD, today announced a contribution of €10 million to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), a global humanitarian fund that assists people trapped in humanitarian crises.
At the same time, Minister Brophy pledged €3.2 million towards the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Speaking about Ireland’s contribution, the Minister said:“In 2020, OCHA stepped up to the extraordinary challenge of coordinating the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. Effective coordination meant that the global response was fast and effective—delivering life-saving humanitarian aid and protection to over 98 million people. The CERF became a beacon of solidarity and a lifeline to millions of vulnerable people, particularly women and girls.“
OCHA manages the CERF, which responds to sudden onset and deteriorating emergencies, as well as underfunded situations. In 2020, it disbursed over half a billion dollars to 45 humanitarian crises around the globe. This supported life-saving support in the areas of health, emergency food distributions, shelter, water and sanitation, and education.