UNITED NATIONS — More than 40 countries have pledged $404.6 million to a United Nations fund that provides immediate money to respond to humanitarian emergencies around the world, from conflicts in Syria and the Central African Republic to earthquakes and typhoons. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday that donations to the Central Emergency Response Fund, known as CERF, increased by $21.2 million from last year. In 2013, CERF allocated more than $473 million, helping humanitarian organizations provide aid in 45 countries and territories including Bangladesh, Guinea, Haiti, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Pakistan, Somalia, and South Sudan. UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said $82 million for the Syria crisis was the largest allocation this year. She announced a further $10 million to the conflict-wracked Central African Republic. – AP
