Media Advisory: High-Level Pledging Event for the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund in 2026

WHO: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), co-hosts Ireland and the Philippines, and Member States, with opening remarks by UN Secretary-General António Guterres

WHAT: High-Level Pledging Event for the OCHA-managed UN Global Emergency Fund (CERF) in 2026

WHEN: Tuesday, 9 December 2025 (10:00 am to 1:00 pm EST)

WHERE: ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York; and livestreamed via UN Web TV at https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16wc378c0

WHY: As humanitarian crises around the world outpace the funding available to address them, this High-Level Pledging Event seeks to celebrate CERF’s 20th anniversary and mobilize greater financial commitments so that humanitarians can continue to fast-track life-saving support for people in need.

CERF was created two decades ago by the General Assembly as the United Nations’ global emergency response fund. With an annual funding target of US$1 billion, it relies on generous contributions from Member States, observers, international organizations, the private sector and beyond. Since 2006, it has provided nearly $10billion to support millions of people in more than 100 countries and territories.

In 2025 alone, the Fund has allocated more than $311 million to enable life-saving action in over 30 countries and territories. This included resources for the humanitarian scale-up in Gaza after the ceasefire was announced, as well as to help those fleeing brutal violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.

So far, CERF has invested nearly $112 million this year to sustain relief efforts across underfunded crises in 10 countries. The Fund also helped the UN and its partners take action ahead of predicted shocks and disasters, including in the Caribbean – giving families there the chance to prepare before Hurricane Melissa made landfall.

In the 20 years since CERF was established, global funding needs through humanitarian appeals have soared – from $5.2 billion in 2006 to assist 32 million people to more than $45 billion this year to help 184 million people.

Media contacts:

  • In New York: Eri Kaneko, kaneko@un.org, +1 917 208 8910
  • In Geneva: Jens Laerke, laerke@un.org, +41 79 472 9750