Donors pledge $ 358m to UN humanitarian fund

 New York, 17 Dec – (ANA) - Donors have pledged a total of $ 358 million in contributions to the United Nations-managed humanitarian fund created five years ago to ensure rapid and reliable assistance for people affected by conflict and natural disasters.

 Fifty-nine Member States, several private sector firms and a Turkish

non-governmental organization (NGO) made pledges in New York at the

replenishment conference of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which is managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

 “In these tough economic times this is a significant success for the CERF, and of course over the coming year we will continue to raise funds for this Fund,” Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and head of OCHA, told reporters on the sidelines of the pledging conference.

“Such support for the CERF helps us quickly reach people caught up in crisis, when they most need assistance,” said Ms. Amos, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. (ANA)

FA/ANA/17 December 2010-------