UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged UN member states to contribute to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to "keep hope alive for millions of people who depend on us."

"We meet in very difficult times," with humanitarian needs rising and crises multiplying, Guterres said in his remarks to the high-level pledging event on the CERF for 2026.

While CERF is the world body's flexible, first-responder fund, the humanitarian system's tank is "running on empty," he said.

According to the UN chief, since 2006, CERF has provided nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars in life-saving assistance in more than 100 countries -- working with over 20 UN agencies and hundreds of partners and reaching tens of millions of people every year.

This year alone, CERF has allocated some 110 million dollars to neglected and underfunded emergencies, from Afghanistan to Somalia and beyond, he said.

The Fund stepped in as soon as humanitarian access opened in Gaza, and helped scale up support for 2.5 million people in Sudan, he said, adding that as Hurricane Melissa approached the Caribbean, the Fund helped countries act early, providing funds, evacuation support and essential supplies that gave families invaluable time before the landfall.

"It remains one of our most efficient instruments -- with strong oversight and a proven record of getting funds where they are most needed, when they are most needed," said Guterres.

However, the humanitarian system faces its greatest test today, the UN secretary-general warned, adding that "across the system, we are stretching every dollar as far as it can go."

In 2025, donor contributions fell sharply, and this year's projected contributions are expected to be the lowest since 2015, he said.

"This is a moment when we are asked to do more and more, with less and less," said Guterres, urging member states to reach the 1 billion dollar target for CERF endorsed by the UN General Assembly and keep humanitarian funding predictable for the years ahead.

"In creating CERF 20 years ago, the international community made a simple promise: when disaster strikes, help will come," he said. Enditem