Monday, October 20, 2008

TCG Launches First Periodic Review of Humanitarian Relief and Early Recovery Efforts in Cyclone Nargis Affected Areas


The Tripartite Core Group (TCG), comprising ASEAN, the Government of Myanmar and the United Nations, launched the first TCG Periodic Review today to review the humanitarian relief and early recovery efforts in Cyclone Nargis-affected areas. 

The Periodic Review will complement the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA) and provide objective and credible data nearly six months after the cyclone. The Periodic Review will serve as a measure of the degree to which humanitarian relief and early recovery efforts have succeeded in meeting the needs of people living in the cyclone-affected areas and further prepare for assistance to the affected population. The information gathered will benefit all stakeholders who are involved in relief and recovery efforts in the Ayeyarwady Delta, and provide unambiguous data for planning future assistance to the cyclone-affected communities within the Delta.

The TCG plans to undertake three “Periodic Reviews” to periodically assess progress in the humanitarian efforts. The first Periodic Review will be completed by the end of November 2008; the outcomes are expected to be announced in mid December.

The Periodic Review will be led by TCG with the active participation from the Government of Myanmar, ASEAN, the UN/Inter-Agency Standing Committee, and international and local Non-Governmental Organisations. Representatives from participating organisations and entities will be involved in all stages of the Periodic Review, from design to results analysis and lessons learnt. 

The Periodic Review builds on the Village Tract Assessment (VTA), one of the methodologies used in the PONJA, which uses multiple indicators and covers the Delta region at the community level. It will also use a representative sample of the Cyclone Nargis affected areas.

Beyond the Myanmar context, the VTA and the Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) carried out under the PONJA and the Periodic Review are exceptional in that an early baseline assessment of the damage and needs is followed by a periodic determination of the overall progress against a goal. In addition, the vital role played by ASEAN, alongside the United Nations and the Government of the affected country under the tripartite mechanism, is serving as a model for future relief and early recovery efforts in the aftermath of a catastrophic natural disaster. 

An estimated 2.4 million people were affected when Cyclone Nargis swept across the Ayeyarwady Delta and Yangon Division in early May this year. The TCG continues to foster cooperation and serve as a mechanism to resolve issues affecting efficient aid delivery. TCG is also committed to an inclusive, community-focused approach to recovery planning, giving attention to the social impacts of the cyclone, and ensuring that the guiding principles of recovery as outlined in the PONJA, which cover areas such as aid effectiveness, transparency and community participation, are being followed.


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