United Nations' agencies have commended the Lao government for the way it handled last week's floods which inundated towns, villages and farmland along the river Mekong River , according to a UNICEF press release.
In a letter offering the UN's support to the government, UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Sonam Yangchen Rana, praised “the spirit of solidarity among the Lao people who tirelessly helped in building up protection walls along the river”.
In res ponse to the letter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a formal request for assistance from the UN system on August 17. By then, UN agencies were already in discussions with ministries and other agencies about ways to get aid to communities and families most affected by the rising waters.
Accurate information and data on the impact of the disaster is urgently needed. A joint rapid assessment task force was quickly established to bring together UN agencies, the government, donors and NGOs. Preliminary information collected by the National Disaster Management Office suggests that more than 150,000 people are affected in seven provinces, with information from three other provinces still missing.
Agencies and tec hnical ministries are currently discussing possible cash and in-kind assistance to cover the most immediate needs.
UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) visited evacuation centres in Vientiane with the Ministry of Health during the weekend. They identified potential public health concerns resulting from congestion and poor sanitation and hygiene which they say need to be urgently addressed. Preliminary supplies are currently being obtained.
In a gesture of solidarity, UN staff members joined the ranks of the Lao volunteers and helped with sandbagging efforts along the Mekong River in Vientiane and at the airport. Staff associations of several UN agencies are collecting funds from staff to assist flood victims, and have started delivering food and medical supplies to affected villages in Vientiane .
The UN and its partners are supporting the government in coordinating its relief efforts thro ugh the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Response, which includes the National Disaster Management Office, ministries, UN agencies, non-government organisations, donors and other development partners.
A system of lead agencies was also established to serve as primary interlocutors for the government in all aspects related to flood response: the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation jointly for food security, WFP for logistics, UNICEF for water and sanitation, WHO and UNICEF jointly for health and nutrition, and the UN Development Programme for early recovery.
By vientiane times (Latest Update August 21, 2008)
