West and Central Africa

Situation Report
Analysis

Funding Status for West and Central Africa

CERF and CBPF Between the year 2020 and the first half of 2021, both UN pooled funds – the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Country Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) - provided over $335 million in support of the humanitarian response in West and Central Africa covering eight countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.

The CERF was granted around $202.4million, of which 64 percent ($130.5 million) came from the Rapid Response window; while 36 per cent ($71.9 million) were issued from the underfunded window. While almost all the region's countries benefited from the CERF Rapid Response in 2020, only Burkina Faso, DRC, Niger, Chad, and Nigeria received funding from the CERF UFE in 2020. In 2021, the CERF has granted $36 million from its Rapid Response window to CAR, DRC, and Nigeria.

For the same period covering from 1 January 2020 through 30 June 2021, the CBPFs allocated nearly $133 million ($129 million in 2021 and $4 million in 2021), of which $35.1million (26 per cent) from the Central African Republic Humanitarian Fund, $75 million (56 per cent) from the Democratic Republic of Congo Humanitarian Fund and $24.3 million (18 per cent) from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund.

Besides their critical role in addressing the most emerging humanitarian needs, both Pooled Funds were instrumental in facilitating the humanitarian community's response to COVID-19. The global pandemic, which created unprecedented challenges for the humanitarian system, called for a flexible and innovative approach.

Funding requirements

Globally, funding requirements of almost all response plans have increased compared to mid-year 2020 and 2019 due the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the largest increases globally, the increase of funding requirements in West and Central Africa is primarily due to the escalating Sahel Region crises. When compared to 2020, requirements in Burkina Faso and Mali increased significantly. When compared to 2019, the increases in requirements are much steeper, with a doubling Mali. In contrast, the requirements for the Central African Republic, have decreased.

Recorded funding

Recorded funding as of July 2021 compared to June 2019 is greater in all regions of the world, except West and Central Africa. More than half of the year 2021 has passed and only 18 per cent of the total requested budget for humanitarian activities in the region has been received. It is a decrease compared to the year 2019 where 25 per cent of the funding was received around the same time of the year. This is mainly due to decreases in the recorded funding in Chad, DRC, Niger, Nigeria, and the regional refugee appeals.

Among West and Central African countries that developed humanitarian response plans, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most funded in absolute terms, with US $310 million, 16 per cent of the required funding, while CAR is the best funded in relative terms with 37 per cent covered or US $166 million received. Niger is the worst-funded with only 10 per cent of its required covered.

Donors and recipients

The United States of America is the biggest donor in the region with US $367 million provided in 2021, followed by Germany with US $136 million. Switzerland provided the least funding with $23 million.

The UN World Food Programme is at the top of funding recipient organizations with US $457million, followed by UNICEF, which has received so far US $117 million. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund received the least funding with US $23million. 

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