Post-Nargis and Regional Partnerships Conference Stocktaking, Critical Needs and Lessons Learned 25 November 2009, Bangkok CONTENTS Executive Summary (page 3) Opening Remarks (pages 5-9) H.E. Mr. Chavarat Charnvirakul, Minister of Interior, Royal Kingdom of Thailand H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN H.E. Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under Secretary General of the United Nations and the Executive Secretary of ESCAP H.E. U Kyaw Thu, Chairman of the Civil Service Selection and Training Board and Chairman of the Tripartite Core Group, Myanmar Overview and Way Forward: Stock Taking and Critical Needs (pages 11-17) Mr. Bishow Parajuli, UN Resident Coordinator/ Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar Dr. William Sabandar, Special Envoy of the ASEAN Secretary General for Post Nargis Recovery in Myanmar Dr. Paul Sender, Country Director of Merlin Myanmar, on behalf of the INGO community Summary of Statements (pages 19-22) - Australia - Denmark - Indonesia - Italy - Delta Basic Services Recovery Working Group - The Netherlands - Sweden - Delta Livelihoods Recovery Working Group - European Commission - International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement - Delta Social and Physical Protection Recovery Working Group Closing Remarks H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN Annexes (pages 24-78) 2 page Executive Summary The Post-Nargis and Regional Partnership section acknowledges the historical partnership Conference was held by ASEAN on 25 November between ASEAN, the Government of the Union of 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand. The Conference aimed Myanmar, and the United Nations-- which has made to raise funds to address the critical needs for the it possible for assistance from the international continuing reconstruction in cyclone-affected areas; community to reach the Cyclone Nargis affected to stock-take of 18 months Post-Nargis assistance; areas in a timely, effective, and accountable and to share the lesson learned of Post-Nargis manner. experiences. It also highlights an appeal from Dr. Surin Pitsuwan The conference gained continued support from for continued support and funding commitments the donor community for post-Nargis recovery and from ASEAN Member States and the international mobilised an approximate total of US$ 88 million, community to the PONREPP Prioritized Action Plan over 85% of the US$103 million appeal. Pledges to meet critical, outstanding humanitarian needs came from Australia, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, and provide essential recovery for the people worst Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, affected by Cyclone Nargis. the European Commission, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Key achievements since the aftermath of Cyclone the United States, amongst others. Nargis and the challenges on the road to recovery for Nargis-affected population are underscored in The Conference was co-chaired by Secretary- the second part of the report. This section also General of ASEAN, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, in his emphasizes the instrumental role of humanitarian capacity as the Humanitarian Coordinator for community in delivering assistance and the ASEAN and as Chair of the ASEAN Humanitarian availability of various funding mechanisms from Task Force and Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under which donors can select to support the Post Nargis Secretary General of the United Nations and Recovery and Preparedness Plans (PONREPP) Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Prioritized Action Plan (e.g. through the Food Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Security and Livelihood Multi-donor Trust Fund, through line ministries or through implementing The Conference was attended by more than 160 partners, etc.). It reiterates that the TCG will continue participants including representatives of ASEAN to the coordination role to ensure transparency Member States, heads of diplomatic missions, and good governance in the implementation of UN Agencies and national and non-governmental international assistance until July 2010. organizations. The list of delegates is in ANNEX 1. The final part of the report details statements from The first part of the report underlines the key donors, including appreciation for the critical role messages delivered by H.E. Mr. Chavarat ASEAN has to play in the post-Nargis recovery Charnvirakul, Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of operations and pledges. The pledges were Thailand; Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Dr. Noeleen Heyzer announced to be allocated for five priority sectors: and H.E. U Kyaw Thu, the Chairman of the Civil Livelihoods, Shelter, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Service Selection and Training Board of Myanmar (WASH), Education and Health. 3 and Tripartite Core Group (TCG) Chairman. This page ASEAN’s continued journey to creating a caring and sharing ASEAN Community by the year 2015, exemplified through the collective response to the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis which may be seen as a successful demonstration of the benefits of closer cooperation, broader integration and multi- stakeholder partnerships... 4 page Opening Remarks 1. H.E. Mr. Chavarat Charnvirakul, million dollars to the Post-Nargis relief and recovery Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of operation under the TCG. He assured the continued Thailand, appreciated the efforts of the ASEAN active support to the PONREPP framework as Humanitarian Task Force led by H.E. Dr. Surin identified by the TCG. He mentioned several Pitsuwan, the United Nations and especially projects activities related to health, agriculture and to the TCG in laying down a comprehensive cyclone shelter sectors which are complimentary to framework for relief, reconstruction and the PONREPP Prioritized Action Plan. rehabilitation process for the people of Myanmar affected by Cyclone Nargis. The The Minister underscored that Thailand’s Minister of Interior in his remarks also stressed that chairmanship of ASEAN will end at the end as the mandate of the ASEAN-led coordination December when the Government of Vietnam will mechanism draws to an end in July 2010, this assume the role. In closing, he commended on conference was an opportunity for international ASEAN’s continued journey to creating a caring community to pledge their support to victims of and sharing ASEAN Community by the year 2015, Cyclone Nargis. exemplified through the collective response to the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis which may be seen Thailand as an immediate neighbour and a friend as a successful demonstration of the benefits of of Myanmar, was the first country which sent closer cooperation, broader integration and multi- donation, medical team and relief supplies and up stakeholder partnerships. His remark is in ANNEX to present Thailand has contributed more than 27.3 2. 5 page OPENING REMARKS The TCG mechanism “ provided the opportunity and platform for governments and international aid agencies to participate in providing direct assistance to the survivors of Cyclone Nargis. In his remarks, the ASEAN Secretary General underlined the progress for the past 18 months after the Nargis but “ also stressed that a lot of more work remains to be done... 2. ASEAN Secretary-General, H.E. Dr. The current mandate of TCG period ends July 2010 Surin Pitsuwan, welcomed the delegates on and the US$ 103 million of the Prioritized Action behalf of ASEAN. He reminded that Cyclone Plan was identified as part of the overall recovery Nargis struck Myanmar less than three months funding needs identified as US$ 691 million in the after ASEAN members signed off the ASEAN PONREPP over the three-year period of 2009 to Charter and it was a challenge and a test for 2011. Further, H.E. Dr. Surin appealed for support ASEAN on how to respond to the disaster. At and funding commitments of 20% from ASEAN the Special Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Member States and the international community Ministers on 19 May 2008 in Singapore, to the PONREPP Prioritized Action Plan to meet ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed to establish critical, outstanding humanitarian needs and an ASEAN-led mechanism, the ASEAN provide essential recovery for the people worst Humanitarian Task Force for the Victims of affected by Cyclone Nargis. Cyclone Nargis, and for the purpose of day- to-day operation, the Tripartite Core Group He also extended his special thanks and recognition (TCG) was set up following the decision of to H.E. U Kyaw Thu for his role as the TCG the 1st AHTF Meeting and with support from the Chairman for his leadership and he expressed ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference special appreciation to Ambassador Thailand held on 25 May 2008 in Yangon. and Singapore for their work in the TCG. He also extended greetings to the Ambassador of Vietnam The TCG mechanism provided the opportunity for taking over the ASEAN chair. In closing, Dr. Surin and platform for governments and international emphasized on the moral duty to take action and aid agencies to participate in providing direct increase assistance to those still struggling to assistance to the survivors of Cyclone Nargis. get back on their feet while looking forward to a In his remarks, the ASEAN Secretary General constructive and meaningful exchange with all underlined the progress for the past 18 months the participants. His remarks are in ANNEX 3. after the Nargis but also stressed that a lot of more work remains to be done. 6 page OPENING REMARKS The success of the ASEAN- “led mechanism, comprised of the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force and the Tripartite Core Group, has been recognized internationally, and has been due to the tireless and ongoing