Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis OCHA Situation Report No. 51

OVERVIEW & KEY DEVELOPMENTS

- Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar on 2-3 May 2008, affecting some 2.4 million people living in Ayeyarwady and Yangon Divisions. Almost 140,000 people were killed or remain missing, according to the official figures. The coming 2-3 November will mark six months since the "worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Myanmar." The revised Appeal, covering relief and early recovery needs up to April 2009, is now 55% funded as of 23 October, according to OCHA's Financial Tracking Services (FTS)1. The early recovery, both agricultural and non-agricultural, continues to experience significant short fall, with funding level 16% and 23% respectively. On 21 October, the UNCT organised an expanded donor meeting in Yangon, with the participation of donor representatives based in Yangon and Bangkok. It was followed by a field trip to visit two villages, well-served and under-served, in Bogale township on the next day, in which over 20 donor representatives participated.

- The Tripartite Core Group (TCG), consisting of high-level representatives of the Government of the Union of Myanmar, ASEAN and the United Nations, continues regular and constructive engagement to facilitate the cyclone response delivery. The first Periodic Review process was officially launched on 19 October in Yangon and is now about to conclude the training of 80 enumerators, for which cluster agencies are providing technical support. The Periodic Review, under the auspices of the TCG, builds on the Village Tract Assessment (VTA) component of the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PoNJA) and will sustain the momentum created by PoNJA for comprehensive and credible monitoring of progress and outstanding needs, informing planning and delivery. It is planned that the exercise will be undertaken, involving a wide range of stakeholders, at least in November 2008 and March 2009. The results of the first Periodic Review will be shared by mid December.

- To complement Government's recovery and reconstruction efforts, the humanitarian community is engaged in the "Post Nargis Recovery and Preparedness Plan" (PONREPP) process. Through PONREPP, the UN and NGO partners will develop medium term sectoral recovery plans, covering 2009-2011 post Revised Appeal, for six areas of cooperation: Disaster Risk Reduction, Education, Health, Livelihood (agriculture / non-agriculture), Shelter, and WASH. Additionally, the protection of vulnerable groups will be presented as a specific theme. Along with the formulation of sectoral plans, PONREPP aims to propose a monitoring mechanism to track measurable outcomes as well as funding mechanisms to ensure resourcing for proposed and agreed recovery activities. Six sectoral working groups have been established and are currently developing concept notes, based on which sectoral plans will be drafted by the end of November. PONREPP will be presented in conjunction with the ASEAN/UN summit, scheduled to take place in mid December.

- The Inter-agency Real Time Evaluation (RTE) team has concluded its mission to Myanmar. The team conducted validation exercise with L/INGO groups and provided debriefing on the preliminary findings to the UNCT, Humanitarian Country Team and cluster leads on its exit.