LAUNCH OF UN EARLY RECOVERY APPEAL FOR SICHUAN

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000667

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO, F/EAP, EAP/CM, EEB/IFD/ODF
USAID FOR DCHA, ANE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CH ECON EFIN EIND PHUM UNDP
SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF UN EARLY RECOVERY APPEAL FOR SICHUAN
EARTHQUAKE

REF: BEIJING 02796


1. (U) On July 25, 2008, the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) launched the UN China Appeal for Early
Recovery Support to Assist Wenchuan Earthquake Victims. The
appeal was announced July 16 in Beijing (see reftel.) In an
historic move, the Chinese government requested the support
of the international community for post-earthquake
rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts and worked with the
UN to launch this joint appeal. The appeal requests a total
of USD 33.5 million to support early recovery in nine
sectors: livelihoods; shelter; water, sanitation and hygiene;
health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS; education, protection of
vulnerable groups; environment; ethnic minorities; and
coordination and communication. It is estimated that the
early recovery phase will last six months, followed by a
reconstruction phase lasting three years.


2. (U) Early recovery is currently a gray area of
responsibility and leadership for international responses and
the UN system. The UN has difficultly attracting significant
donor resources to support early recovery programs, in
contrast to the largess that typically characterizes
emergency humanitarian response efforts.
Khalilzad