– When disaster strikes, time is a question of life or death. Even the first hours will be crucial!
There will be no time to form a committee or appeal to the public opinion. This is why we established the Central Emergency Response Fund, and gave it a mandate of immediate response, said Ambassador Morten Wetland when he spoke at the High-level Conference on the Central Emergency Response Fund.
CERF is a stand-by fund established by the United Nations to enable more timely and reliable humanitarian assistance to those affected by natural disasters and armed conflicts.
The Fund is managed, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General, by the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), John Holmes, Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
It was initiated by his predecestor Jan England from Norway.
The goal is that CERF will have up to US $500 million, including a grant facility of up to US $450 million and a loan facility of US $50 million.
In his Speech ambassador Morten Wetland stated that Norway is committed to continue making significant and predictable contributions to the Central Emergency Response Fund.
– I am pleased to announce that for 2009, our contribution will be NOK 300 million – approximately 42 million US dollars, said Wetland.