UN Presses Donors as CERF Pledges Fall Far Short of $1 Billion Goal

Overview

• At the fund’s 20th‑anniversary pledging event, donors announced just over $300 million for 2026, below last year’s $351 million and far from the $1 billion target endorsed by the General Assembly.
• Secretary‑General António Guterres urged governments to meet the $1 billion goal, warning that the humanitarian system is “running on empty” as global needs rise.
• Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher called the shortfall an operational emergency and noted CERF is facing its lowest projected income in a decade.
• Fletcher announced a $100 million allocation for neglected emergencies, naming Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar and Syria.
• So far in 2025, CERF has allocated about $435 million across more than 30 countries and has been cited for rapid action in crises including Ukraine, Bangladesh and Gaza, as the UN’s 2026 appeal seeks $23 billion to reach 87 million people.