General Assembly General Assembly

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

My delegation would like to express our deep appreciation to you for organizing today's High-Level Conference on the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

 

2. This is most timely following last week's General Debate and consideration of agenda item 'Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance' and the adoption of resolutions delineating a number of steps for strengthening coordination.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

3. The scale and instances of humanitarian crises around the world has been on the surge and the need for assistance to meet the challenges these crises pose has been unparalleled. The number of people requiring urgent humanitarian assistance worldwide has quadrupled over the past 10 years and the international humanitarian response is falling significantly short of the challenges posed.

 

4. Addressing these needs therefore require immediate attention. Any delay in providing assistance can have long term consequences. There is indeed a need for coordination and partnership to meet these challenges.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

5. CERF has played an important role in meeting these humanitarian challenges over the past one decade since its inception. It has provided assistance in nearly 100 countries for urgent humanitarian needs through its life-saving humanitarian action as well as through rapid humanitarian assistance window. We note that during 2016, CERF has provided funds for humanitarian emergencies in around 50 countries including those in our neighborhood.

 

6. The General Assembly in the resolution adopted last week has rightly welcomed the achievements of CERF and has also called upon the Member States to consider substantially increasing their voluntary contribution.

 

7. Despite our own resource constraints, India has always been forthcoming within our ability and national circumstance in offering humanitarian assistance as per the needs and requests of our friends and partners. In the recent years India has assisted in relief efforts in a number of countries in a number of situations of natural disasters such as Tsunami, earthquakes or cyclones. These include for instance our neighbors Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan and those beyond our region such as Philippines, Fiji, Yemen and Somalia. These efforts have ranged from immediate supply of relief materials to emergency evacuation of very large number of persons of various nationalities from danger zones.

 

8. India has also been a regular contributor to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine and has contributed to the Emergency Response Plans for Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in 2014 and 2015.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

9. As far as CERF is concerned, India has been a regular contributor since its inception. Our cumulative contribution to CERF so far is USO 6 million. I am happy to announce that Government of India would be contributing US $ 500, 000 (US Dollars Five hundred thousand) to the Central Emergency Response Fund for the year 2016-17.

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

10. In conclusion, we reiterate our support to the efforts of CERF. We sincerely hope that CERF will continue to play an important role in providing funding to the humanitarian emergencies. On our part we will closely coordinate with CERF in these endeavors.

 

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.