South Asia: United Nations Flash Appeal launched in Jakarta

IHA/982
(Delayed in transmission.)

JAKARTA, 6 January (OCHA) - Today, the United Nations and its partners launched a Flash Appeal to respond to the urgent and immediate needs of the communities severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami that hit coastal areas in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Maldives, as well as Myanmar, Seychelles, and Somalia, on 26 December 2004.

This Flash Appeal reflects the efforts of United Nations (UN) agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to plan and implement a strategic, efficient, and coordinated response to the needs of some 5 million people. Programmes focus on keeping people alive and supporting their efforts to recover, for example in the agriculture, education, health, food, shelter, or water and sanitation sectors.

Reaching isolated communities is a serious challenge because of the destruction of transport infrastructure and communication systems. This requires the establishment of complex logistics and operations platforms. Strong coordination with governments and between governments and the international community will ensure that assistance is efficient and reaches the people who need aid most.

The Flash Appeal focuses on supporting people in Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Somalia and Sri Lanka from January to the end of June 2005, and calls for $977 million to fund the critical work of some 40 UN agencies and NGOs.

OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for unearmarked cash contributions to be used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination with relevant organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details, please contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

Updates on contributions to this disaster may be found on the Financial Tracking Service (http://www.reliefweb.int/fts; or, click “Financial Tracking” at the top of the ReliefWeb page for this disaster). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically on the above-mentioned FTS website.

This Flash Appeal and information on ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Aid agencies are encouraged to use the Virtual On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) at http://www.reliefweb.int to share information on assistance and coordinate activities.