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..Press
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UNESCAP News Services
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Date 14
May 2005
Press Release No: G/CS61/04/2005
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING TO DISCUSS PLANS AND PLEDGES
OF
POST-TSUNAMI RECOVERY
Bangkok (United Nations Information Services)
- Governments from the Asian region are gathering to recognize
the success of tsunami relief operations and the beginning of
the new rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. They will also
appeal for money pledged to be transformed into commitments.
So far, about 6.7 billion dollars have been promised for tsunami
recovery. But only about $2.5bn has been recorded as committed
or paid up.
Governments Ministers and UN representatives from
tsunami affected countries will meet at the High-level Panel
on Tsunami Recovery Development on Monday 16 May 2005 at the
ESCAP Hall, UNCC Bangkok.
Discussions will focus on three major areas: recovery
plans, the status of financial pledges and commitments and progress
on the early warning system.
Initial estimates by assessment teams place the
costs of reconstruction for Indonesia at up to $5 billion and
for Sri Lanka $3.5bn. Including India, the Maldives and Thailand,
the total reconstruction costs, over the next three to five
years are expected to be between $9.8bn and $12.5bn. Teams consisted
of government officials and staff from the UN, ADB, World Bank
and some bilateral donors.
$6.7bn has already been pledged by the international community,
for tsunami relief by donor countries, private individuals and
corporations. But of the $6.7 billion pledged, only about $2.5bn
has been recorded as committed or paid up.
If financial pledges are to be honoured, and recovery
delivered rapidly and effectively, then coordination and effective
information sharing are crucial components.
The two-hour Panel will commence at 10:15 a.m.
with speeches by Mr. Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP,
H.E. Mr. Chaturon Chaisang, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand
and Ministers from India, Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia and
Sri Lanka.
The High-level Panel is also expected to exchange
information on national recovery plans. Importantly, post tsunami
reconstruction must ensure that the long-term recovery of the
devastated areas be carried out in a way that will break past
cycles of poverty.
The World Disaster Reduction Conference in Kobe,
Japan, discussed the setting up of a global warning system covering
all natural hazards, and all countries by June 2007. The Ministerial
Meeting on Regional Cooperation on Tsunami Early Warning Arrangements
(held in Phuket, Thailand, on 28 January 2005) called upon the
countries in the region to take the lead in establishing an
early warning system and that the system should warn against
other natural disasters as well as tsunamis. The United Nations
will lead on coordination on the early warning mechanism.
The High-level Panel on Tsunami Recovery Development
will take during UNESCAP's 61st Commission Session, scheduled
for 12-18 May at the UN Conference Centre, Bangkok.
For further information, please contact:
United Nations Information Services
Tel: +(66-2) 288-1861-66; Fax: +(66-2) 288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org
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