Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Good morning everyone.
I would like to thank the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for convening this important event, and to acknowledge the opening remarks made by His Excellency António Guterres and Under-Secretary-General Martin Griffiths.
2022 has seen significant spikes in levels of humanitarian need in a number of contexts. With the cost of providing humanitarian assistance also increasing, we must acknowledge the humanitarian system is under incredible pressure as it attempts to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain the dignity of affected communities. In such trying times, the CERF has continued to demonstrate the critical role it plays in supporting an effective and efficient global humanitarian system.
Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes recent efforts by OCHA to ensure the CERF is as impactful as possible. In particular, we voice our support for recent moves by the CERF in support of inclusive humanitarian action, including by responding to gender based violence, and in seeking and incorporating expert advice on gender and disability issues.
New Zealand recognises that early humanitarian action can save lives, and save resources. As such, we welcome OCHA’s recent efforts to explore the CERF’s role in supporting anticipatory humanitarian action. With advances in technology continuing to enable data-driven anticipatory approaches, the case for continued progress in this area is as strong as ever.
The CERF’s global reach enables donors like Aotearoa New Zealand to contribute effectively to a wide range of humanitarian crises we would not be able to support directly. We are proud to support the CERF and remain committed to being a predictable and reliable donor.
Today, Aotearoa New Zealand is pleased to pledge a further NZ$3 million for 2023, as part of our current multi-year funding commitment to the CERF.
In closing, we acknowledge the important work the CERF does, and we thank you, Under-Secretary-General Griffiths, for your continued leadership of the CERF and of the UN humanitarian system. We thank all humanitarian workers for their continued dedication to serving populations in need, often in very challenging circumstances.
You can count on Aotearoa New Zealand for continued support.
Thank you.