Development boon for North
*Joint assistance plan involving UN, humanitarian agencies
* Long term sustainable development main aim
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday instructed
his Ministry officials to work with UN agencies, INGOs and NGOs on a
joint Action Plan of Assistance for the Northern Province in 2012.
This is in order to identify the priority activities, that must be
undertaken during 2012, and to facilitate international assistance, so
that the people of the Northern Province can recover, rebuild and return
to a normal life.
The Joint Action Plan for Assistance (JPA) for the Northern Province
2012 was launched yesterday at the Economic Development Ministry, by the
government together with the United Nations and the broader humanitarian
community in the presence of Minister Rajapaksa.
The ultimate aim of the exercise is to ensure long term sustainable
development of the Northern Province within the shortest time frame
possible.
Agriculture, shelter, livelihoods, fisheries, water and sanitation,
electricity, education, health and nutrition and banking will be the key
areas that would be focused on through the initiatives of this joint
plan of assistance.
The joint plan for assistance for the Northern Province 2012 is the
result of this consultative process led by the Economic Development
Ministry through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on assistance needed
during 2012 to help people in the Northern Province to recover and
rebuild their lives.
Upon the Ministry’s invitation this process was undertaken jointly
with the United Nations and its agencies (UN), national and
international Non-Government Organizations and International
Organizations.
The successful experiences gained during last year in jointly
providing humanitarian assistance to the people in the North through the
2011 JPA was considered a best practice and initiated the 2012 planning
process.
The JPA was developed through a consultative process led by the
government through the Presidential Task Force for Resettlement,
Development and Security (PTF) and the United Nations, national and
international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International
Organizations (IOs).
The JPA provides a framework for meeting immediate needs of the
resettled communities in the Northern Province while linking
humanitarian interventions to longer-term development efforts including
the priorities of building houses and shelters, supporting agriculture,
food security and livelihood recovery.
Speaking at the JPA launch, Secretary to the PTF S B Divaratne
appreciated the contribution made by the broader humanitarian community
and the development partners to the government to make significant
progress in the North.
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Subinay
Nandy noted that “increasingly we are seeing a shift from pure
humanitarian response interventions to collaborating with government on
longer term development requirements for the same people. This will be
the way to go, as we together ensure that we do not leave behind any
individuals or groups who need direct assistance.”
The Government, UN and the humanitarian community calls upon donors
to support this joint initiative which has been a monumental step
forward in providing assistance to those most in need.
Delivering a message from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President
of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Hon Basil Rajapaksa
said that the government and the farmers associtions in Sri Lanka will
give 500 mt of paddy to the World Food Programme (WFP) as government’s
contribution to JPA 2012. |