PRESS CONFERENCE ON LAUNCH OF EARLY RECOVERY PLAN FOR PAKISTAN

 

In order to bridge the transition from relief to reconstruction following the October 2005 earthquake, the United Nations today launched an Early Recovery Plan for Pakistan, laying out activities over a 12-month period, in areas such as education, water and sanitation, and housing, Jan Vandemoortele, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in that country, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference.

He said that the successful relief phase was due to two main patterns -- strong national leadership in the relief efforts and good international partnership.  He believed part of the success was also due to the media coverage of the disaster, and subsequent relief efforts, saying: “The media stayed engaged, and the media stayed positive, throughout this complex emergency.”

The Early Recovery Plan -- a joint effort between the United Nations, the Government of Pakistan and international non-governmental organizations -- offered concrete proposals, so that donors could convert the more than $6 billion they pledged at a donors conference in Islamabad in November into tangible contributions.  The price tag of the plan was $300 million for the next 12 months, of which $100 million had already been secured.  The funds would go to projects such as teacher training, providing seeds to farmers, and the use of helicopters to deliver food and supplies.  “We are confident that these activities that are in there are not only relevant, they are also feasible.” 

With regard to residual relief, accommodation would need to be provided for the foreseeable future for both the urban and rural populations; the urban population because it would not be possible to rebuild cities in a matter of days, and the rural population for different reasons, including because they were orphans, widows or physically handicapped, or were affected by land disputes.  Those land disputes were being handled at the local level, and the Government had ruled that any disputes would be settled in favour of the “weakest member”.

Unlike in some of the tsunami-affected countries, he added, the Pakistani Government would not rebuild the houses.  Instead, it was providing cash payments -- about $3,000 per family -- so the families could rebuild the houses themselves.

Asked about allegations regarding terrorist groups providing aid to the affected population, he said that, during the relief phase, the United Nations did not in any way collaborate or support any suspected groups.  Support was provided directly to individuals, and the origin of that support was clearly designated.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record