Responding to the unveiling of the Scottish Government’s new Humanitarian Emergency Fund, Angus Nelson, Head of Fundraising for Oxfam Scotland, said:
“Oxfam is delighted that this new Humanitarian Emergency Fund has been established, something we called for ahead of last year’s Scottish Parliament elections and have worked with the Government and other aid agencies to develop.
“The current crisis in East Africa, where 16 million people are on the brink of starvation, highlights the unfortunate need not only for funding but also for leadership by rich countries like Scotland.
“The number of people affected by humanitarian crises has almost doubled over the last decade, and is expected to keep rising. At any given time, Oxfam teams are responding to an average of 25 emergencies around the world.
“This new fund will enable humanitarian agencies to reach more people in urgent need – and not only when the media spotlight is on a crisis, but as the need demands.”
Learn more about how Oxfam responds to emergencies, and where we are currently working.
The establishment of a Humanitarian Emergency Fund was one of Oxfam Scotland’s policy priorities ahead of the 2016 elections to the Scottish Parliament. Read about all of our policy priorities in ‘Even It Up: Scotland’s role in tackling poverty by reducing inequality at home and abroad‘