United Nations Pakistan moves to recovery and reconstruction

(Islamabad, 8 March 2006): Five months after the earthquake, the emergency phase is nearing its end as the aid community moves towards recovery and reconstruction. Plans are underway with the Special Envoy for the South Asian Earthquake Disaster, former United States President George H. W. Bush for a high level launch of 'The Action Plan from Relief to Recovery' in New York while it will be locally launched at field hubs in Pakistan. It will cover a one year period starting in April 2006 and has been prepared in close collaboration with the military and civil authorities.

Jamie McGoldrick, the United Nations Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator (DHC) applauded the role of the Government of Pakistan and the disciplined efforts of the humanitarian community, especially civil society, for the success of the relief phase. He said that the recovery phase would see an extension of the cooperation provided by the Government of Pakistan, especially the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) and provincial and local governments.

"There has been no second wave of deaths, no massive population movement down the mountains, no severe malnutrition, and no outbreak of epidemics," McGoldrick said. The major challenges, he said, were keeping relief operations going until the end of this month, improving sanitation especially in the smaller camps and preparing for the return of Internally Displaced People (IDP) on the basis of a voluntary and informed consent.

"People have already started returning and the second installment of Rs. 75,000 by the Government of Pakistan will be a major pull factor for people to go back to their places of origin," said the DHC. IDPs will be provided an 'incentive package' to facilitate their return.

"There will be a continued risk of landslides as the snow starts to meet melting in the spring and even more so later in the year when the monsoon season sets in," McGoldrick warned. "Road accessibility will remain a major challenge, and it is expected that there will be a continued need for a minimum of five to six helicopters until at least September," he added.

Issues such as food assistance beyond March, camp closures, provision of health care, utilities, education, land ownership, rubble removal, urban/rural planning, special support to vulnerable groups and consistent provision of information about the returns process are being discussed with the ERRA and other partner organizations. The ERRA has agreed to continue working with the cluster system, with technical working groups in the four areas of housing, education, health and livelihoods.

The United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) leads the gender taskforce which has produced a Gender Checklist for Emergency Situations to ensure that gender concerns are integrated at the recovery phase of aid operations.

Detailed information on the humanitarian relief operation is available at www.un.org.pk and at www.reliefweb.int plus www.pakquakecommunication.org

For further information and media assistance, please contact

Raabya Amjad, Public Information Officer, Pakistan
UN - OCHA, Sector E7, Street 11, House 124, Islamabad; Tel: +92(0) 51 2652840; Fax: + 92(0) 51 2652536; Mobile: +92 (0)301 532 3985 or Email: amjadr@un.org