Copenhagen/New York, 1 October, 2008 – Senior representatives from the United Nations, developing countries and the donor community convened for a high-level conference today to push forward the early recovery agenda, exploring the concrete realities of countries in crisis and how to begin to “build back better” in the immediate aftermath of a crisis.
Jointly sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Early Recovery Practitioners’ and Policy Forum aims to outline a set of commitments and actions to boost early recovery efforts.
A relatively new concept, early recovery addresses the critical gap in coverage between humanitarian relief and long-term recovery – between reliance and self-sufficiency. While beginning on the first day of any crisis – natural disaster or conflict – early recovery is geared towards the future – addressing damages to infrastructure, property, livelihoods, and societies. Its goal is not just to enable a smoother transition to long-term recovery – to restore livelihoods, government capacities, shelter – but to offer hope to those who survive the crisis.
“The importance of early recovery planning – a separate but parallel process within any emergency setting – is one of the key lessons of the new millennium,” said Kathleen Cravero, Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery. “It is a lesson learned the hard way – from conflict zone to earthquake zone, tsunamis to flash floods. Even as humanitarian workers are actively distributing life-saving supplies, we need to give communities something to live for – providing the resources and know-how families, communities and countries need to get back on their feet again,” she added.
Early recovery builds on humanitarian programmes and lays critical foundations for generating self-sustaining, nationally-owned recovery. Its scope goes beyond the restoration of basic services, livelihoods, shelter, and the reintegration of displaced populations. Indeed, early recovery encompasses efforts to secure stability, establish peace and resuscitate markets.
Forum participants will draw upon the lessons learned from crisis situations in four countries (the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Myanmar and Pakistan) where early recovery strategies have been put in action, illustrating the benefits of early recovery programming as well as the areas needing improvement. More specifically, the forum aims to address the gaps in early recovery planning, capacity building and financing, resulting in a set of commitments participants will sign at the event’s conclusion.
For background information:
• 22 out of the 32 countries at the bottom of UNDP’s human development index have been ravaged by war several times since 1990;
• 50 percent of ongoing civil wars are recurring conflicts;
• In 2006, 426 natural disasters took place in 108 countries, with 143 million people affected.
For more information, please contact:
Jehane Sedky, United Nations Development Programme, New York, jehane.sedky@undp.org, +1-212-906-6711
Henrik Kastoft, UNDP Nordic Office, henrik.kastoft@undp.org +45 3546 7154
Stine Junge, UNDP Nordic Office, stine.junge@undp.org +45 3546 7158, +45 2144 8918
Jan Kjær, Humanitarian-Space, jank@parknet.dk +45 2670 3681,
Jakob Tvede, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, jaktve@um.dk +45 2989 9544
For more information on UNDP's work on crisis prevention and recovery, please visit http://www.undp.org/cpr/
About UNDP: UNDP is the UN's global network to help people meet their development needs and build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working as a trusted partner with Governments, civil society and the private sector to help them build their own solutions to global and national development challenges. Further information can be found at www.undp.org |
