Executive Summary
At the request of the CERF Advisory Group (AG), the CERF Secretariat developed a draft Performance and Accountability Framework (PAF) in 2009 through close consultation with UN agencies, IOM and other stakeholders. In July 2010 the CERF AG endorsed the draft PAF which includes, amongst other things, a mechanism for independent reviews to be conducted annually of a sample of three to five countries each year. Following a pilot review of the added value of CERF to humanitarian actions in Kenya using the PAF, three further countries were selected to give further feedback on the systems and procedures used to access the CERF. This report using the PAF covers interviews and document reviews in Sri Lanka specifically for the period of 2009. Any additional points on the 2010 CERF applications have also been taken into account. It is worth noting that since the establishment of the CERF in March 2006, 107 projects in Sri Lanka have benefited from CERF funding totalling $72,580,929. During this time the loan facility has not been used.
The inputs from the UN country team under the leadership of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (RC/HC) have been a focused prioritisation of strategic programming intended to stabilise and assist with resolving humanitarian problems arising from the war in Sri Lanka. These actions have been carried out at all times in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka. As this review did not include time in the CERF Secretariat it is more difficult to review the input of that structure but the support given is clearly appreciated and viewed by the UN country team to have been constructive.