The short-term priority is to save lives threatened by the tsunami disaster, writes Tom Arnold.
'The sense of loss is everywhere. People looked to the sea for their livelihood and entertainment. The sea was their friend. The sea dealt them a savage blow. The glorious beaches now stay eerily empty, the fishing boats remain shattered. Survivors try to begin to rebuild their lives. Where to start?'
This quote is taken from a note sent to me by Anne O'Mahony, of Cork, who with her Concern colleagues has been based in Sri Lanka since December 29th. As in other affected areas, the scale and magnitude of loss that Concern has met in Sri Lanka is crushing. Faced with an astounding death toll, widespread physical damage and untold shock, "where to start" is a daunting question for individuals who have lost everything, for countries and the international community.
Last Thursday, international leaders met hastily in Jakarta to answer this question. In a week preceded by widespread uncertainty regarding aid co-ordination, the emergence of UN leadership is welcome. It is particularly important that the US will deploy its massive logistical capability within the UN co-ordinating structure.
The overriding short-term priority is to save lives. The estimated death toll now stands at 150,000, with a warning from the World Health Organisation that this could double. For survivors, it is a race against time. Some five million fellow human beings lack basic survival needs such as food and water. The risk of malaria and cholera remains in communities stripped of sanitation and water supplies.
The generous donations from the Irish public are working effectively to provide immediate relief. In India, Concern and its local partners are distributing 160,000 survival kits to families. In Sri Lanka, many of the 850,000 people affected by the tsunami are living in emergency camps.
In Aceh, Indonesia, people simply request material to bury the dead. Here the true scale of the crisis is painfully unfolding. One-tenth of the population is homeless. Water and sanitation interventions are needed to prevent a major public health disaster. Concern's strategy is to provide urgent assistance for relief while already beginning to plan for medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation.
Central to this is the prioritisation of the needs of the poorest. Experience in emergency response points to the sad reality that those who are most seriously affected suffer the greatest burden. In many of the affected countries tourism will drive a rapid recovery in commercial areas. In some cases, insurance will offset many short-term economic disruptions. For the most vulnerable - including orphaned children - this will not be the case. This pattern is already emerging in coastal fishing communities, on islands and in inaccessible regions well off the tourist trail.
The capacity of the affected countries to lead response efforts is sometimes underestimated. This is an unfortunate - and dangerous - oversight. In contrast to other developing countries, including many in Africa, South-East Asia boasts resilient economies and strong civil society networks. For Concern, large-scale interventions in Sri Lanka and India are enabled by domestic partner organisations. This bodes well for long-term recovery efforts. However, in certain areas of Indonesia, poor governance and conflict will make development more difficult.
The international community has a key role to play. A proliferation of state and non-state participants stand ready to assist in the emergency response. The UN Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN agency with the mandate for co-ordination, has particular responsibilities here and deserves widespread support.
Effective co-operation between the sovereign government and UNOCHA should provide the framework through which the efforts of international NGOs can be most productive. Although the scale and horror of this disaster are in many respects unique, some important lessons should be drawn from other major emergencies.
First, aid needs to be co-ordinated efficiently to reach those in most need. Investment is required to create employment and productive welfare systems need to be put in place. This is a major logistical exercise, where the quality of aid is as much an issue as its quantity.
Second, aid must help rather than harm the poor. From the outset, aid programmes must be designed to rebuild the livelihoods of the most vulnerable. Building local capacity and restoring local markets is essential. Concern seeks the procurement of food and non-food items locally and regionally - which ensures that sustainable markets can thrive after the cameras leave.
Third, translating political rhetoric into action is vital. Strong leadership will be required to ensure that impressive donor commitments - now at $3 billion - are met. One year on from the Bam earthquake, just $17.5 million of the promised $1.1 billion has arrived. This is why a moratorium on debt relief - agreed at Thursday's summit - is welcome. Creditors cannot easily renege on claims they have surrendered.
Finally, the need for early-warning systems throughout the developing world highlights why investment in the scientific and technical infrastructure of low-income economies is critical for long-term development.
Right across the world, people have shown immense generosity in responding to this disaster. Can this generosity now be translated into political will and decisions which will address the wider issue of global poverty?
The year 2005 is a critical one for reducing poverty and promoting development. Significant focus will be placed on meeting the Millennium Development Goals, the international targets which aim to seriously reduce poverty and improve the human condition by 2015. The G8 summit in July must agree adequate funding to achieve these goals. In December, the WTO will meet to decide if the Doha Development Round will result in fairer trading arrangements for poor countries.
The disaster in Asia has reminded everyone of our common humanity. We need to build on this and take the hard decisions which will make the world a fairer, more just and safer place.
Tom Arnold is chief executive of Concern Worldwide. To make donations to Concern, please call 1850 410 510 or go online to www.concern.net