Page 3 - DIVA_No.23_2006

Emergency (CERF)

luunanitarian emer- cormtries uivest 111 cost-

gency fiuid. Human effective disaster pre-
beings sliould have tlie paredness and early-
same valrie every- wai'iiing systems, wliicli
wliere, as lie often says. can save countless
lives." The next impor-
Tl'ie new fiind will save tant steps to get tlie fiu'id
lives by providing rip and ninning include
in'unediate fimding for tlie establislunent of a
initial life-saving assis- t w e I v e - 111 e m b e r
tance during tlie early Advisory Group, COIII-
days and montlis of an prising eiglit representa-
emergency. It will also tives of contributing
lielp to provide countries and forir
resources to support experts appointed by tlie
Organization (FAO) in
life-saving aid in crises S e c re t ary- G en er a 1.
Februai'y 2004 to spray
Fundinglias always tliat liave been over- United Nations internal
locust larvae (and pre-
been one of tlie diffi- looked or are seriorisly and external ariditors
vent tlieir spread)
crilties in providing ruider-funded, so tliat will monitor tlie upgrad-
received an inadequate
rapid luunanitarian all tliose wlio suffer ed CERF on an ainuial
response. Tliat sum-
assistance to victu'ns receive assistance basis. Additionally,
mer, the locusts multi-
after a disaster. Most according to tlieir grant-receiving United
plied tlu'ougliout eiglit
lives are lost in the first need-not tlieir creed, Nations agencies will
countries and FAO
days following an politics or tlie amoruit carry out tlieir OWII
revised tlie appeal to
eaitliqr'iake, a flood or of media attention. aridits. A CERF website,
$100 million.
any other type of disas- including financial and
ter. To save lives. aid So, in late December expenditure tracking,
In Darfur, it took forir
workers need iininedi- 2005 the General will provide real-time
months between tlie
ate casli and supplies. Assembly endorsed tlie updates to tlie public on
time wlien access
Late tunding often Central Emergency liow fiuids are used.
restrictions were lifted
an'iplifies and compli- Response Fund
and fiuids were COIII-
cates tlie problems. (CERF). "Tliis is a key Tlie new fiuid will be
mitted to tlie appeal. III
acliievement tliat will larinclied in mid-Jamiai'y
tlie meantime, tlie
Tliere are several do IIIIICII to lielp 2006 and sliorild be fully
munber of internally
examples where early strengtlien tlie co-ordi- operational by Marcli of
displaced persons
funding could liave nation of emergency tliis year.
(IDPs) climbed steadi-
made a significant dif- l'nunanitarian assis-
ly to 1.6 million and
ference. In tlie case of tance," said Jan
mortality rates rose
tlie locust swarins in Egeland. "Altliougli
above emergency lev-
tlie African Saliel, early tliis is an important
els.
funding would have step fotaward, we need
mitigated its effects to do more in otlier
In order to avoid simi-
and early intervention areas," Egeland
lar situations, Jan
would have been mucli empliasized. "We rec-
Egeland lias been
cheaper. An appeal for ogiiize tliat we need to
advocating for tlie
$9 million by the {JN improve co-ordination
establislunent of a
Food and Agriculture and to ensure tliat
l 2006 Diva I