UN humanitarian chief concludes visit, reaffirms support to rebuild Sri Lanka's North

Concluding her three-day visit to Sri Lanka to assess the humanitarian needs of the flood-affected people in northern and eastern parts of the country, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Catherine Bragg reaffirmed UN's continuing support to rebuild the war-ravaged North.

A statement issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today said during her visit, Ms. Bragg met government ministers, local authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors, and UN agencies.

During her meetings with government ministers, Ms. Bragg has reaffirmed the commitment of the UN and NGOs to remaining in Sri Lanka to help the government, especially in rebuilding the Northern Province, OCHA said.

During her three-day visit Ms. Bragg visited the Mullaitivu and Batticaloa districts to meet the people displaced by the floods as well as the displaced people still living in welfare camps in Vavuniya. She had met people who have recently resettled in the North to assess their humanitarian needs.

"I came to Sri Lanka to assess the current humanitarian situation in the country and it's my observation that there are significant and immediate humanitarian needs resulting from the recent flooding in the east, as well as the ongoing needs in the former conflict areas of the north," Ms. Bragg has said.

The humanitarian chief has pointed out that while most of the returnees currently have limited access to basic services such as shelter, water and sanitation and health care, they remain extremely vulnerable and have critical humanitarian needs that need to be addressed immediately.

Ms. Bragg also launched a flash appeal to raise US$ 51 million for in emergency funds for the one million people affected by the recent floods in the Eastern and North Central Provinces.

She has also announced a US$ 6 million contribution from the Central Emergency Response Fund to jump start priority programs.

"We need to continue our humanitarian work and are committed to remaining here and providing humanitarian assistance to all those in need, wherever they are," Ms. Bragg has emphasized.

Highlighting the role of the humanitarian community, especially those aid organizations working in the North, Ms. Bragg has stressed that partnerships between UN agencies and local government structures must be strengthened as Sri Lanka moves beyond its years of conflict.