Harmonization and Partnerships for Effective Recovery Efforts in Tsunami-Affected Countries
Haruhiko Kuroda
President
Asian Development Bank
High Level Coordination Meeting on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Tsunami-Affected Countries
18 March 2004
Introduction
Excellencies, partners in development, ladies and gentlemen: Thank you for joining us at ADB for this important meeting.
My first words this morning must be to those of you who have traveled from India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. I would like you to know that all of us at ADB share a deep sadness for the devastation the tsunami wreaked on your countries. The loss of so many lives and communities is almost beyond comprehension.
Having just returned from Banda Aceh, I can say that I am deeply moved by the desperation of the survivors to restore some sense of normalcy to their lives. Their journey has just begun. But I am also encouraged by the spirit and strength of the recovery efforts. You have not only our deep empathy, but our unwavering commitment to move forward in step with each of you to get children back into schools and women and men back to productive work, to replace homes, industries and infrastructure, and to restore critical health and social services.
Complex Challenges Ahead
This brings me to the reason we are all here today. As the recovery effort now moves from initial relief to rehabilitation and reconstruction, it is essential to keep the world's attention focused on continued support and ensure that donor confidence in our efforts remains high. The distribution of funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction must be predictable, transparent, strategic and effective.
It is equally essential that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Lessons learned from other large-scale disasters highlight the importance of establishing priorities and doing things in the right order.
As we know, the scale and complexity of the tsunami recovery effort is unprecedented. The tsunami triggered the largest international response the world has seen to-date, with funds coming in from hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of separate sources. A large number of agencies have been involved in the relief and recovery efforts, and many will remain engaged throughout rehabilitation and reconstruction. The countries and communities that have been affected are economically and socially diverse, and we need to understand their unique needs on the ground, and tailor our assistance programs accordingly.
All of this makes the already huge task ahead that much more challenging. However, one thing is certain: the ongoing recovery work must be coordinated at the country level, and countries must have full ownership of the recovery efforts. This means ensuring an effective role for people at the grassroots level, as well as clear responsibilities for local governments, in designing, implementing and managing sustainable recovery programs.
Coordination and Partnerships
In coming together today, we re-affirm our commitment to coordinate our efforts to make the rebuilding process as efficient and effective as possible. Strong partnerships and good coordination have characterized our efforts over the last two-and-a-half months. Strong partnerships and even stronger coordination must also be our hallmark in moving forward.
The joint damage and needs assessments are clear examples of government and development partners working together strategically to achieve common goals. We must not lose this spirit of cooperation, for none of us, on our own, can deliver the results needed to rebuild lives and livelihoods.
The stakes are high. In India, almost 700 kilometers of roads are damaged. In Indonesia's Aceh Province, the livelihoods of 44% of the population are affected. In the Maldives, electricity supply is damaged on 95 islands. In Sri Lanka, 100,000 homes were destroyed and 65% of the country's fishing fleet was damaged or lost. And those are just a few examples of the tsunami's massive footprint.
Clearly, the rehabilitation and reconstruction needs across all sectors must be addressed in order to meet this huge challenge. Strong country leadership has, of course, been fundamental to the recovery effort, and such leadership will continue to be central in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
The contributions of non-government organizations, or NGOs, have also been invaluable. NGOs will continue to play a crucial role in rehabilitation and reconstruction by ensuring that assistance programs are in line with community needs and long-term development objectives. Private sector involvement will bring needed skills to the rebuilding effort, and help the affected communities strengthen their future economic prospects. And multi-lateral development partners can provide both financing and expertise, and help to bring all partners together to achieve common goals. In this context, ADB has established an Asian Tsunami Trust Fund to effectively channel resources from ADB and others who wish to participate to the tsunami-affected countries. This fund, to which ADB has made an initial contribution of $600 million, will provide grants - not loans - for rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Tsunami Recovery Tracking Matrix
Given the scale of the recovery, even with our best efforts at coordination, the potential for gaps, overlaps and duplications is significant. We need to develop tools that can assist us in identifying gaps, and avoiding duplications.
It is largely for this purpose that a draft tracking mechanism has been developed for your consideration at today's meeting. Adoption of the tracking mechanism will allow us to coordinate, monitor and manage the overall rebuilding effort. But, if it is to be meaningful, it must be "owned" by the countries involved. It is not meant to replace country-specific monitoring tools, but to complement them by providing a regional window on the rebuilding process.
Monitoring our progress will be critical to maintaining the momentum of reconstruction, the confidence of donors and the good will of the people in affected communities. We are all aware of the general concerns about how and where the funds are used. Tools like this can help us meet the legitimate expectations for transparency, accountability and sound governance.
I look forward to hearing your views about the how the tracking mechanism might be refined and applied to our ongoing efforts. Indeed, it is my hope that we will arrive at a consensus on this issue by the end of the day.
Closing
Ladies and gentlemen, the world has made a huge financial and emotional commitment to assist the tsunami survivors. It is a commitment on which millions of people, and millions of futures, depend.
It is our shared challenge, and our shared responsibility, to help the tsunami survivors put their lives back together as quickly and as effectively as possible. Today, let us take stock of how far we have come, and let us take the opportunity to chart a cooperative and purposeful course for the immense job that lies ahead. Thank you. |  |
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