Guterres warns global aid system strained amid low emergency funding

(MENAFN) According to general reports, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that the global humanitarian system is under severe strain as contributions to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) drop to their lowest level in ten years.

"We meet in very difficult times," Guterres said at the High-Level Pledging Event for the 2026 CERF, emphasizing that "humanitarian needs are rising" even as "crises are multiplying." He cautioned that "the humanitarian system’s tank is running on empty, with millions of lives hanging in the balance."

Guterres highlighted CERF’s vital role as the UN’s “flexible, first-responder fund,” noting that "since 2006, it has provided nearly 10 billion US dollars in life-saving assistance in more than 100 countries, working with over 20 UN agencies and hundreds of partners and reaching tens of millions of people every year." He stressed the fund’s speed and reliability: "CERF works, because it is fast, flexible and fair, often arriving before other sources of support," adding that it often determines "the difference between life-saving help and no help at all."

However, the UN chief warned that the system now faces its "greatest test," with donor contributions in 2025 projected to fall sharply. He said expected funding this year "are expected to be the lowest since 2015, a dangerous trend that weakens our ability to respond," leading to preventable deaths, hunger, and loss of essential services. "This is a moment when we are asked to do more and more, with less and less," he added, calling the situation "simply unsustainable."

Guterres urged member states to help meet the General Assembly-approved $1 billion target for CERF and to maintain predictable funding, reminding donors of the fund’s original promise: "when disaster strikes, help will come."

Echoing the alarm, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, warned that "brutal cuts leave us to make brutal choices. We have been forced into a ruthless triage of human survival." He described the ongoing “humanitarian reset” as a critical strategy: “it’s about being smarter, faster, closer to communities and more honest about the trade-offs we face.” Fletcher stressed that CERF remains central to this effort, particularly given projected needs for next year.

Fletcher announced a $100 million allocation for the world’s most underfunded emergencies, representing nearly a quarter of CERF’s projected 2025 income. He said the funding decisions "are about more than plugging gaps, it's about who gets help, when and why," emphasizing local engagement and prioritizing protection for women and girls, who are often most vulnerable.

Highlighting CERF’s 20-year milestone and nearly $10 billion in assistance, Fletcher urged the international community to honor its commitments. "That goal is not symbolic, it's essential," he said of the $1 billion funding target, cautioning that current trends indicate the world is "moving in the wrong direction."

MENAFN10122025000045017640ID1110461787