Statement by H.E. Ms. Rabab Fatima, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, at the CERF high-level Pledging Event: “a Fund for all by all”, 10 am, 9 December 2019, TCC, UNHQs
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation thanks OCHA for convening today’s high-level pledging event and we are happy to be a part of it. With humanitarian emergencies on the rise worldwide, the utility of CERF is being recognized and felt more than ever before. The speed and effectiveness with which CERF has been making its funds available for people in emergency situations is indeed praiseworthy.
I also wish to commend the Advisory Group for its important work.
It is encouraging to see that the Fund’s size and coverage are growing which indicates increasing donor interest. This political momentum needs to be sustained.
We all agree that CERF is working very well, yet there is perhaps further room for efficiency gains. More evidence-based planning and assessment backed by precision and real-time data from the ground and closer coordination between its disbursement arms and national governments may bring some qualitative improvements.
Bangladesh is a major recipient of CERF and we are grateful for their support. Convinced of the usefulness of the Fund, we have also been contributing, modestly though, to CERF since its inception, and hope to gradually increase that. In continuation of our commitment, I am pleased to announce that Bangladesh would be contributing US$ 20,000 to CERF for the year 2020.
We are grateful to CERF for funding the humanitarian needs of the Rohingyas at the camps in Cox’s Bazar. By 2019, it turned out as one of CERF’s largest outlay globally, which is an indication of the objectivity of assessment with which the Fund operates. CERF is also playing a critical complementary role to other humanitarian funding for the Rohingyas at the camps.
Given our very positive experience with CERF’s operation, Bangladesh would continue to support CERF in its endeavours to save the distressed humanity.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.