The UNGA resolution

In a remarkable gesture to show complete solidarity with the earthquake stricken people, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution that called on international community to step up efforts and turn their pledges into cash flow to support the medium and long term rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the earthquake affected areas in the northern part of Pakistan.
The unanimous approval of the resolution by the 137 countries from all regions and continents is indicative of the fact that international community has shared objectives to jointly fight such calamities wherever they may happen. It clearly expresses the World’s resolve to join hands in meeting the challenge posed by natural disasters such as earthquake. After the vote Pakistan’s permanent representative to UN said, "The extensive list of co-sponsors of the draft resolution is a demonstration of our common solidarity to stand together against the tragedies caused by such natural disasters and our shared commitment to withstand and forebear its impact by a united force of the peoples of the United Nations,.”
The resolution “requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its 61st session on the implementation of the present resolution under the item entitled "Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance" and to report to the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session in 2006.”
It is true that such natural disasters cannot be averted, but through combined and concerted international efforts its impact could definitely be mitigated to some extent. It is noteworthy that the resolution asked the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan ‘to appoint a special envoy to sustain the international community's political will to support the medium- and long-term rehabilitation, reconstruction and risk reduction efforts.’
It has been estimated that it will take one year for the current earthquake relief operation in Azad Kashmir and North West Frontier Province to be completed. The reconstruction and rebuilding process would be complex and multifarious. It would require concerted efforts and support from international community on a sustained basis. For example, the reconstruction of houses and infrastructure will be a long drawn out process. Surely, it is going to be a long haul which would involve billions of dollars in more hard cash and could take up to five years or more.
The government of Pakistan seems to be keen on accomplishing the major part of the operation in three years. It has worked in close cooperation with the World Bank, WHO and other international aid agencies and produced a final damage assessment report, which has already been made public. In order to facilitate the massive reconstruction and rehabilitation work, an international donors’ moot is also being organized. .President Musharraf will inaugurate the conference. It is to be noted that the final assessment report would be provided to all participants of international donors’ conference, enabling them to step their aid efforts and raise additional funding for the quake affected people.
Given the severity of the disaster, it is important that particular attention be given ‘to help the affected population, especially orphans and widows in their physical and psychological trauma and to provide immediate medical assistance, in particular with regard to the vaccination of children and to long-term rehabilitation.’
Further, the resolution welcomed the proposed convening of the international donors’ conference for reconstruction in Islamabad on Nov 19 and invited the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other international and regional financial institutions and the UN to mobilize the international community to address the reconstruction needs of the affected areas.
The world community has also expressed its deep sense of grief over the massive loss of lives and property caused by the deadly earthquake and sympathized with the victims and their families affected by the devastating calamity in South Asia. By official counts, the earthquake has killed over 86,000 people, injuring 10,000. Over 3.3 million people have been rendered homeless in the worst ever earthquake in the history. More than 15,000 schoolchildren are reported to have died in the earthquake. The tally is likely to go up, as more damage assessment reports are collected especially from the remote and isolated mountainous areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.
The world body noted with satisfaction that there was useful cooperation between the Pakistani authorities and the United Nations and its various aid agencies that worked tirelessly in the most difficult conditions in the mountainous quake affected regions. Appreciating this collaboration, the resolution gave full credit to Pakistani establishment and ‘the relevant bodies in the United Nations system, donor countries and regional and international financial institutions, relevant international organizations and civil society’ for the efficient management and coordination in terms of delivering the emergency relief to those who needed it most in the earthquake hit areas.
However, it must be pointed out that there is a need to continue such cooperation and coordination in the current relief operations to provide maximum succor to the earthquake affected people. But, besides the immediate goal of providing emergency relief to the quake victims, the international community must not lose sight of the medium- and long-term objective, which is, assisting the government of Pakistan in the crucial second phase of ‘rehabilitation, reconstruction and risk-reduction efforts in a manner that reduces vulnerability to future natural hazards.’.
As a final point, it should be emphasized that the international community that includes the major donor nations as well needs to make good on the pledges made in this regard and to expedite resources for the benefit of quake hit people of Pakistan with a sense of urgency. In order to save lives in the affected areas swift action needs to be taken. This is essential to uphold world’s community will.

—Mohammad A. Suhail (INP)