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Lessons learned from recovery in Lebanon  Early recovery efforts to clean up an oil spill in Lebanon. The aftereffects of the 2006 July-August conflict in Lebanon are still being felt. The impact was severe, with 1,200 deaths, one million people displaced, more than 100,000 homes damaged, 1.2 million cluster bombs unexploded and almost 15,000 tons of oil spilled along the Lebanese coastline. The economic loss from these hostilities was also severe, with 0 percent GDP growth in 2006 (compared with 6 percent projected growth prior to the conflict) and a meager 2.5 percent growth in 2007. The overall cost of reconstruction was estimated at $2.8 billion, of which $2 billion is committed. In this context, UNDP has provided technical and financial support to the Prime Minister’s Office as part of its recovery portfolio. This support was part of the overall coordination effort required after the initial humanitarian phase, when the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Humanitarian Clusters were active. UNDP has supported the government in effectively managing external resources and building a transparent monitoring and evaluation system (M&E) that exceeds individual donor reporting requirements. The overall aim of the M&E system is to ensure that government, donors, non-governmental organizations and civil society are adequately informed about the progress of the recovery and reconstruction efforts, and adjustments can be made in order to address the unmet needs of the population. The M&E system currently includes routine information systems from line ministries and a donor assistance database (www.dadlebanon.org/dad). In addition, qualitative and quantitative feedback from beneficiaries through focus groups and perception and household surveys are currently being incorporated into the system. A comprehensive progress report has been prepared by the Prime Minister’s Office. The report shows significant achievements in housing, education, health, demining, agriculture and oil spill cleaning since the conflict despite recurrent political instability, including violence in the Nahr el Bared refugee camp in the summer of 2007. This draft progress report will be discussed at a national workshop in February 2008, where line ministries, donors and civil society will have the chance to review both achievements and challenges ahead (such as unfunded sectors, implementation bottlenecks and feedback from beneficiaries). This open discussion will be a milestone in implementing the principles of transparency and accountability for the government and its development partners. UNDP’s work in this area is built on previous international experiences, in particular those learned in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. UNDP, in collaboration with other international stakeholders, supported the initial development of M&E systems. While it is premature to judge the final outcome of multi-stakeholder efforts in countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia or Lebanon, three lessons emerge for consideration during future crisis situations:
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