The Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$ 15.1 million to Sudan to fill critical funding gaps in this country’s humanitarian response and provide urgent-life-saving assistance to internally displaced people and vulnerable host communities in North Darfur.

This CERF grant, allocated under the Second Round Underfunded Grant window for 2015, will allow humanitarian organizations to provide urgent life-saving interventions for the upcoming nine months, including the treatment of acute malnutrition, the provision of access to safe water supplies, primary health care services, and the rehabilitation of temporary learning spaces.

“It is crucial that we continuously and collectively find means to secure funding to support those who are in need of humanitarian assistance,” said Marta Ruedas, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan. “Although here are many other humanitarian crises in the region that require urgent financial contributions, Sudan is also facing funding shortfalls, especially in North Darfur, and so we welcome this recent CERF allocation.”

CERF is one of the fastest and most effective ways to support rapid humanitarian response for people affected by natural disasters and armed conflict. Since 2006, more than $3.7 billion has been allocated to help millions of people in 92 countries and territories across the world. The fund is managed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, and is supported by the CERF secretariat, which sits within the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.