No more Nigers: UN Summit must act to prevent forgotten emergencies

8 September 2005 Under the current system, all too often humanitarian assistance is inadequate and untimely as well as inequitable because it is driven by political priorities rather than need.

Up to 38 million people across a dozen African countries, including Niger, are facing a food crisis today. With current trends, CARE International estimates that one-third of their food needs will not be met. However, an effective and well-resourced emergency fund, paid into by UN member states, would enable the UN to respond immediately to such emergencies, intervening before they escalate to crisis levels.

“Donors often ‘earmark’ their contributions for countries and sectors in the media or political spotlight, and each year one or two ‘headline’ emergencies capture the majority of these donations. Meanwhile death and suffering continues largely ignored by donors in other so-called ‘forgotten emergencies’” said Geoffrey Dennis, Chief Executive of CARE International UK.

“In 2003, over 90 percent of requests to fund Iraq were met compared with just 26 percent for Mozambique,” said Dennis. “Right now, under half of the World Food Program’s Niger appeal has been funded. It is crucial that a global humanitarian fund responds to needs more equitably. It must be designed to mobilise substantial funds rapidly and use them wisely. That means putting a shared and objective assessment of people’s needs at the heart of humanitarian funding."

World leaders at the Summit will be discussing reform of the UN Central Emergencies Revolving Fund (CERF). The emphasis of their discussions is to be on quantity and speed of response. They must also agree how to ensure funds are distributed equally and fairly in order to end the phenomenon of the ‘forgotten emergency’.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY’s White Band Day 2 on 10 September 2005 will remind world leaders meeting at the UN Summit in New York, that the world is still watching and waiting for them to make poverty history.

About CARE International: CARE International is one of the world’s leading humanitarian organisations, working with over 45 million disadvantaged people in 70 of the world's poorest countries. CARE helps communities improve their quality of life through projects in agriculture and natural resources, economic development, education, food, health, water and sanitation and emergency response. For more information, please visit www.careinternational.org.uk

For more information contact:
Amber Meikle, senior press officer, CARE International, or 0207 934 9348 or 07867 585879