The UAE last night provided a US$1million donation to UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund that allows humanitarian organisations to respond to the world’s urgent crises.

Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, announced the contribution at the High-Level Conference on the Central Emergency Response Fund, CERF, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, yesterday.

The conference, chaired by the Fund's Under-Secretary-General, Valerie Amos, who is Emergency Coordinator and the head of the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, highlighted CERF-funded projects from around the world and sought political and financial support for operations in 2015.

The UAE’s contribution reflects the country’s increasing cooperation with UN humanitarian activities.

In her statement to over 250 senior representatives from UN Member States and Observers, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations, foundations and private sector firms, Ambassador Nusseibeh commended Under-Secretary-General Amos’ leadership, and said, "Today we celebrate the good work that CERF has done in the over 88 countries it has operated in this year, and commit ourselves to helping OCHA continue to provide rapid, effective and efficient humanitarian aid." She also highlighted the urgent need for concerted action by the international community to help refugees across the world in the upcoming months of winter.

Since the CERF was established in 2006, billions of dollars have been disbursed to help millions of people in dire need of assistance in 88 countries. Funds come from the voluntary contributions of over 125 countries and private-sector donors.