In May 2008, Myanmar was devastated by the deadly cyclone Nargis, killing 140,000 people and rendering over 3 million homeless overnight. Myanmar citizens rushed to help and rescue victims of the cyclone, and the world joined in, mading pledges and flying in aid workers.     

With military rule and an absence of international engagement over the years, there were concerns about the international response being limited. But there was free and uninterrupted flow of aid materials and all international aid was directly delivered to the affected population. Comprehensive assessment of relief and reconstruction needs, as well as a comprehensive recovery plan, was drawn up in partnership with the government, UN, bilateral lenders like World Bank and Asian Development Bank and I/NGOs.

National and international support helped save lives and reduced the people’s suffering. But, there remained a huge shortfall in funding for reconstruction and full recovery could not be attained.

Now Nepal

Following the tragic earthquake of April 25 in Nepal, there has been an outpouring of aid for rescue and relief from Nepali and international communities. Nepal has been relatively lucky, in that the death toll could have been much higher. Still, damage to houses and old monuments and infrastructure has been immense and there is still the mammoth task of healing and reconstruction.

Nepal’s political transition, with differences and mistrust among the parties, means that managing a disaster of this scale remains an understandable challenge. A month on, there are still reports of people not receiving food, shelter, or other relief support.

The international community plays a crucial role in responding to major emergencies globally, complementing national efforts. Channelling resources announced by friendly governments for relief purposes through international organisations and civil society is normal practice, and their engagement is crucial to save lives and rebuild.

Drawing from my first-hand experiences in Myanmar, here are a few key issues that could be pertinent for Nepal right now.

Relief, reconstruction

A comprehensive assessment of needs must be done in an all-inclusive manner with the engagement of all key players, ensuring full credibility and independence. All efforts must be made to ensure reconstructtion of all damaged infrastructure, promoting self-reliance and full recovery for those affected.

It is also crucial to continue to allow the free flow of relief supplies and unhindered access for partners to all affected areas. Basic needs must be planned for three to six months or longer, but it is critical to ensure that a dependency on aid is not created. All supplies must be coordinated and closely monitored to ensure that aid is reaching areas as needed and also to avoid the politicisation of aid. There must be strong measures that target the needy. Special efforts also need to made to address the needs of women, girls, and vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled.

A certain amount of relief support will be needed for vulnerable families or individuals for several months. Families need encouragement to continue with the construction and rebuilding of houses by themselves while not raising false hopes for government involvement in rebuilding houses, paying particular attention to compliance with building codes. In Nepal, direct cash assistance is the best way to support affected families with the relief needs and the reconstruction of houses, as it also helps the local economy. All relief efforts should continue to be linked with helping people be self-sufficient, recover fully, and improve livelihoods.

It is also important to integrate reconstruction efforts within a national development plan and budgetary processes. There must be donor-sensitivity in direct budgetary support and channelling of resources through government structures. In situations such as these, the government should be open in allowing partners to directly help in reconstruction efforts in a planned manner and in coordination with the government.

Given the mammoth task of reconstruction, it will be important to prioritise. Undivided attention in the establishment of a high-level coordination structure to manage the reconstruction process is essential. However, the actual implementation of reconstruction efforts should be well-integrated and coordinated within the work of related ministries/departments to avoid parallel structures/ efforts.

Securing funds

Sufficient funding for continued relief and reconstruction can pose a major challenge. It will be also crucial to engage and mobilise support from the private sector and introduce special levies targeted toward reconstruction. International financial institutions and partners such as the US, Europe, Nordic countries, and Japan, and neighbours such as India and China, are expected to be key partners in reconstruction.  

With several conflicting global humanitarian crises demanding donor attention and funds, early efforts to reach out to key donors and continued advocacy can enhance fundraising efforts. Donors look at political and democratic systems and processes, along with sustainability, as conditions for their support. Completing transitional political processes, with a new constitution and reconciliation among parties, will go a long way in galvanising international support.

In all of this, monitoring and reporting systems will be key for transparency and accountability. Given the extensive engagement of social media in Nepal, it can be expected that there will be strong public scrutiny and reporting of relief and reconstruction efforts. It is also important to have close reviews of operations and address all related concern on a regular basis.

With the strong popular engagement, governmental commitment and leadership, and international support, Nepal can be rebuilt better.

Parajuli is led UN relief and recovery in the aftermath of the cyclone in Myanmar. He is currently UNRC/UNDP Resident Representative in Zimbabwe. The views expressed are personal