ADB tsunami meeting to sustain momentum

ADB tsunami meeting to sustain momentum

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Wednesday it aims to
sustain the momentum in the rebuilding of tsunami-affected
countries when it hosts a ministerial conference to discuss the
recovery effort next week.

The Manila-based ADB said it has invited ministers and senior
government officials from the five most affected countries --
India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand -- to the
March 18 meeting.

Representatives of international agencies, donor countries,
the private sector and civil society were also invited, as well
as speakers from Gujarat and Kobe, to describe the challenges of
managing recovery efforts after major earthquakes, it added.

The ADB said the meeting aims to establish the progress made
to date and share information to avoid wasteful duplication and
overlap.

Participants will identify gaps in the recovery effort,
explore areas for greater coordination and harmonization, and
discuss ways to ensure the highest standards of governance in the
countries' handling of reconstruction assistance.

"As the development community's response to the tsunami
disaster is shifting from the relief phase to the rehabilitation
and reconstruction phase, the international community needs to
carry the momentum into a longer-term program," said ADB Vice
President Geert van der Linden.

"We need to restore livelihoods, rehabilitate communities, re-
establish social services and rebuild infrastructure," he added.

The ADB said one important aim of the meeting was to see how
the private sector and non-government organizations can be
brought into the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.

"The meeting will establish a tracking matrix for all the
rehabilitation and reconstruction work that is being done or
planned and could be used as a platform for exploring areas of
greater coordination," said Robert Dobias, an ADB director.

Dobias said the meeting also aims to help ensure high
standards of financial governance in the handling of aid funds.

The ADB said it plans to hold a workshop in April on good
governance practices in recovery work following disasters.
Transparency International and the Indonesian government will be
co-sponsors of the workshop. -- DPA