Daniel Gilman of the OCHA Regional Office explained the background of CERF: It was originally designed very narrow, to provide quick initial funding following a disaster so that agencies can start the response. According to Daniel “even though it is relatively fast, the whole process proving that there was a disaster, that there was an impact took time.” For a Mongolia Dzud a few years ago, the system was being questioned. Daniel: “People said: ‘We know we will have a Dzud, we know animals will die, can we not release funds now?#” In the meantime, Red Cross Red Crescent, WFP and Start Network had been looking at anticipatory action pilots and Forecast-based Financing. “What is clear is that the tools are there for the forecasts, we are getting better and better at anticipating when these floods are going to come, but the financing piece just has not been there”, Daniel explains. 

Hilla Wessel