pledges

The international community must plug a $2 billion funding gap for countries hit by El Nino-related drought and storms. These have left a staggering 60 million people around the world facing crop failures and worsening hunger.

Oxfam, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council criticized the deeply disappointing outcome of today’s international pledging conference for resettlement of refugees fleeing the ongoing crisis in Syria. The meeting in Geneva offered to resettle only a tiny fraction of the most vulnerable people with a less ambitious timeline. Governments have shown a shocking lack of political and moral leadership, said the agencies.

Rich countries have paid out less than half the amount they originally pledged to help countries recover from a snapshot of three major humanitarian crises, according to Oxfam.

The announcement of $9.2 billion in pledges to the Green Climate Fund ahead of the Lima climate summit is welcome but only a bare minimum, says Oxfam.