Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) has been recognised by the UN’s Acting Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya, for its role in transitioning Jersey from ‘aid recipient to humanitarian leader’.
Ms Msuya praised JOA’s ‘unwavering support’, adding that “Jersey’s journey inspires us all.”
The comments follow a meeting between Chair of JOA, Deputy Carolyn Labey, and Ms Msuya, at which they discussed Jersey’s approach to humanitarian response, including JOA’s recent appointment as co-chairs of a key humanitarian working group, innovative solutions to address the global humanitarian funding gap and the impact of political instability on specific crises.
Deputy Labey said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Ms Msuya and to have the opportunity to discuss Jersey’s history and how we all have an obligation to support life-saving assistance, regardless of size or sovereign status. We discussed the shared challenges facing the international community and how now, more than ever, it is imperative that the humanitarian community come together to advocate for continued financial support for those who have been affected by conflict or climate induced disasters. The Assistant Under-Secretary General’s comments are testament to the Island’s growing reputation and how smaller, less traditional donors, can make a meaningful contribution on the global stage.”
Deputy Labey and Ms Maya’s exchange took place shortly before Jersey facilitated a 2-day multi-stakeholder humanitarian meeting as part of its responsibilities as co-chairs of the Pooled Fund Working Group (PFWG). Alongside Italy and UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), staff from JOA steered discussion around important issues facing both the pooled fund donor base and wider humanitarian community, facilitating dialogue between government representatives, UN agencies and international and national non-government organisations. A follow-up meeting is planned for June 2025 when Jersey will host the PFWG in the Island, becoming the first non-member UN state to do so.
Country Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) are a valuable humanitarian mechanism in countries affected by natural disasters and armed conflict. They allow government donors to pool contributions into single, unearmarked funds that strengthen local humanitarian efforts and rapidly and directly support relief partners at the front lines of emergencies. The professional, transparent and efficient administration of cash make it an efficient and low-risk mechanism for JOA to provide multi-sectoral support to highly complex emergencies.
Jersey has been supporters of CBPFs since 2016, supporting humanitarian response in protracted emergencies including Syria, the occupied Palestinian territories, Yemen, Ukraine, South Sudan and Central African Republic.
Main picture: From Sudan, Aisha Alnour, cooking Kisra is a daily ritual with her colleagues to feed most of the camp.
