The UN has announced an increase in humanitarian needs in 2020 due to protracted armed conflicts and more frequent extreme weather events. This year, Norway is providing 45.5 million US to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and NOK 10 million US to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
‘The funding we are providing ensures predictability for our partners and helps to promote a more effective humanitarian response, in line with the priorities set out in our humanitarian strategy,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.
Norway is one of the largest contributors to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). CERF ensures that assistance reaches people affected by humanitarian crises quickly. It also provides much-needed funding for underfunded emergencies. Norway’s contribution is provided under an agreement between Norway and CERF on the provision of funding totalling nearly NOK 1.7 billion over a four-year period.
One of the biggest challenges in humanitarian work is to ensure protection for and provide assistance to internally displaced people. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), over 41 million people worldwide were internally displaced at the end of 2018. This number is increasing, and there is a need to step up the response in this area.
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