The German government decided to support the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) with  15 million Euro (approx. 19 million US$) for 2012, thus increasing the German contribution by 2.5 million Euro compared to 2011.

In addition, Germany will provide the Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) with one million Euro.

Markus Löning, the Federal Government's Commissioner for Human Rights, said today:

"In recent years, natural disasters and armed conflict have given constant rise to the global number of persons dependent on humanitarian aid. The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund is the  most important financial instrument of it's kind concerning immediate  response to catastrophes. We must, however, also increasingly keep an eye  on the aspect of crisis prevention, which is why the work of UNISDR in  Geneva is essential."