As of 30 May 2016, financial requirements of UN-coordinated Humanitarian Response Plans, Flash Appeals and Regional Refugee Plans as reflected in the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) amount to an unprecedented US$20.8 billion and are expected to rise. These appeals are currently funded at $4.8 billion, or 23 per cent. $16 billion in financial requirements remain unmet. Overall, humanitarian operations in 2016 are funded at almost $9.2 billion.
Currently humanitarian partners aim to reach 91 million people in need in as many as 40 countries. The increase in May is due to the Flash Appeal in response to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Ecuador, to a response plan for Zimbabwe and to expanded requirements in Ethiopia as a consequence of El Niño.
Over $3.6 billion is required for El Niño-related activities through government plans, plans developed by humanitarian country teams, and joint government-humanitarian organization plans in countries across the most affected regions of East Africa, Southern Africa, Central America and Asia Pacific. The newly appointed United Nations Special Envoys for El Niño will work to generate resources for El Niño response and to secure long-term solutions for resilience building and preparedness. Meteorologists indicate that a La Niña event is more likely than not to occur later this year.
Over the last month, FTS records a significant increase of 28 per cent in funding for the Burundi RRP while funding for the Myanmar plan has increased by 20 per cent. Funding for the Mali appeal increased by 8 per cent, Nigeria and CAR by 7 per cent, and Iraq, Syria and Ukraine all increased by 6 percent. Meanwhile, no funding reports have been submitted to FTS by donors or implementing agencies for the Gambia HRP and the Yemen RRMRP, five months after these appeals were released.
The Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) has received $245 million in contributions for 2016 thus far and is projecting $413 million in contributions this year, with a shortfall of $37 million from its annual funding target. CERF continues to provide fast, flexible and life-saving humanitarian aid in emerging crises and the world’s most neglected disasters. In May, CERF approved $18 million from the Rapid Response window to support emergency interventions for Ecuador – earthquake;
Guinea – Ebola resurgence; Nigeria – Lassa fever outbreak; South Sudan – conflict; and Viet Nam – El Niño-related drought. As of end-May, CERF has allocated more than $216 million to 26 countries through the Rapid Response and Underfunded Emergencies windows.At the World Humanitarian Summit several leaders announced their support for the UN Secretary-General’s proposal for a $1 billion CERF. An expanded CERF will enable distribution of vital resources anywhere anytime a humanitarian catastrophe exists, in a manner commensurate with growing needs.
Contributions to Country-based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) at the end of May 2016 stand at $284 million, of which $247 million have been allocated as follows: 42 per cent to UN agencies, 44 per cent to international NGOs and 13 per cent to national NGOs, with 1 per cent to Red Cross/Red Crescent societies.