UNITED NATIONS (CMC) — Haiti is the only Caribbean Community (Caricom) country that will benefit from the US$125 million released by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) on Tuesday to assist underfunded humanitarian operations in 14 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East.

Haiti, which is grappling with social, economic and political problems exacerbated by the July 7, 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, will receive US$8 million, according to a statement issued by the CERF

UN relief chief Martin Griffiths, who heads the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) said that in 2023, global funding requirements have surpassed US$55 billion to support 250 million people affected by conflict, climate change, disease outbreaks, and other crises.

Faced with these record needs, less than 30 per cent of the target funding goal has been received.

“It is a cruel reality that in many humanitarian operations, aid agencies are scraping along with very little funding right at a time when people’s needs compel them to scale up,” said Griffiths.

“Thanks to the generosity of a vast range of donors, we can count on CERF to fill some of the gaps. Lives are saved as a result. But we need individual donors to step up as well — this is a fund by all and for all,” he added.

The recent injection brings the emergency fund’s total support to more than US$270 million this year.

This is the largest amount ever allocated, to the highest number of countries, reflecting skyrocketing needs and the fact that regular donor funding is not keeping pace.

“Funding, generally, is growing in absolute dollar terms. The main issue is that the needs are outpacing that growth, so the funding gap widens,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.

Apart from Haiti, other countries to receive humanitarian assistance include Venezuela, Bangladesh, the Central African Republic, Mozambique, and Malawi.