UN launches $500 m swift relief fund
UNITED NATIONS, Friday (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly approved
the establishment of a new $500 million emergency fund aimed at
providing swift relief following natural disasters.
The new Central Emergency Response Fund is 10 times larger than an
existing standby relief fund of $50 million. U.N. officials hope the
creation of a standing account will allow for relief to reach areas hit
by disasters and famine quickly.
"The difference is that we will have a larger fund, but also that it
will be more flexible," General Assembly President Jan Eliasson told
reporters.
In the past, "We had to wait for commitments before we could really
start massive operations. Now we will be able to do that from the
beginning, and not have to wait for individual commitments," he said.
The assembly's decision, taken by consensus, is the first of the new
reform proposals agreed to by world leaders at a U.N. summit in
September that the 191-member body has approved.
A host of more-controversial decisions, such as a new human rights
council and management reforms, await the assembly before the end of the
year or early next year.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said the fund had received
donations of $200 million already that other governments would make up
the difference.
"They will pay up," he said, adding he expected the fund to be
operational by March.
Officials said a string of natural disasters around the world over
the past year that killed hundreds of thousands and left millions
homeless emphasized the need for the fast-response fund.
"As we have seen in 2005 - a year bracketed by the devastating Indian
Ocean tsunami and the earthquake in Pakistan - the world has no time to
loose," said Jan Egeland, the emergency relief coordinator who will
disperse the funds.
The tsunami, which struck a dozen Indian Ocean nations, left up to
232,000 people dead or missing on Dec. 26. The Oct. 8 earthquake in
Pakistan killed more than 73,000 and left about 3 million homeless.
Egeland has also complained that Niger's severe food crisis last year
could have been prevented if the United Nations had the new reserve fund
to jump-start humanitarian aid while appeals for money were considered. |