Assembly urges international support to alleviate effects of Colombian volcanic eruption.

Assembly urges international support to alleviate effects of Colombian volcanic eruption

Following the 13 November Nevado del Ruiz volcano eruption in Colombia, the General Assembly called on Member States to "contribute generaously" to that nation's relief and reconstruction efforts and to channel that aid through the United Nations system.

By resolution 40/13, adopted without a vote on 15 November, the Secretary-General was asked to mobilize resources, co-ordinate multilateral assistance and determine the emergency and reconstruction needs of affected areas of the country. Augusto Ramirez Ocampo, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, estimated the immediate and direct direct damages caused by the disaster at $212 million. He said the people of Colombia were rallying together on the basis of national solidarity, and that his country would succeed in its reconstruction efforts.

Bolivia introduced the draft on behalf of 26 Governments. Its representative, Jorge Gumucio Granier, said "The people and Government of Colombia will deal with this natural disaster with characteristic valour and courage". The international community, he added, would take the necessary measures "to complement the efforts being made by that brother country with which we have histori ties of friendship".

More than 200,000 persons were afftected by the disaster. One third of the residents of the cities of Armero and Chinchina--22,000 of a total of 67,000--disappeared under mud and ash; thousands more were injured and hospitalized.

Carlos Alban-Holguin (Colombia) expressed his nation's gratitude for the Assembly action. Nature, which had provided Colombia's inhabitants "with lands, mountains and rivers, from which they derived their sustenance and wealth", had now seen fit "to unleash ... a volcanic avalanche which has caused the dealth of thousands of persons, buried entire towns, left tens of thousands of persons injured or in poor health conditions and which impoverished all of them", he said.

Very little could be done, he went on, to restore the towns and their people that have been buried by mud forever. He called for efforts "for those who remain alive, so that they can rebuild their homes, organize their work once again and return to their creative agricultural work which was so harshly interrupted".

Assembly President Jaime de Pinie's noted it was the second time the world body had had to confront disaster since September: First for the Mexican earthquake, and now for the Colombian volcanic eruption. The action taken demonstrated that the United Nations was "able to react with deep feeling and efficiency to the emergency situations that unfortunately afflict mankind."

The Secretary-General, in a 14 November message to Colombian President Belisario Betancur, said he was "profoundly saddened" by news of the eruption. The United Nations system was ready to help in any way possible. the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator (UNDRO) would establish immediate contact with the Colombian authorities, following the request made by Colombia.

On 14 November UNDRO made a cash grant of $30,000 and dispatched UNDRO staff to the area. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided medical supplies; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also provided assistance.

Hugo Navajas-Mogro, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said on 29 November, after returning to Headquarters from Colombia, that the disaster had created more than human and material problems. With children left without parents and the dislocation of families, there was also a huge legal and judicial problem to be faced.

On 11 December UNDRO announced it had recorded contributions in cash or kind exceeding $13 million, including those from the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, Governments, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, international voluntary organizations and the private sector.

In a special meeting on international relief to Colombia on 13 December, the Secretary-General said that in response to the international appeal launched on behalf of colombia, many countries had provided generous aid. The emergency phase had almost come to an end and the reconstruction. phase was about to begin.

The FAO reported it had approved emergency food aid worth $442,000 from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for 6,000 survivors. Also, a package of projects valued at approximately $30 million had been formulated for donor financing and possible FAO execution. The UNDP had agreed on a $2 million reconstruction project. The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) had made available $35,000 for immediate specific needs. Further technical co-operation in environmental sanitation, sanitary engineering, vector control and nutritioin would be made available by PAHO.

The European Economic Community (EEC) provided 500,000 ECU for relief. A further 1.5 million ECU in assistance had been decided upon. The United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT) sent two advisors to Colombia to assist in reconstruction efforts.

Several countries stated they had already provided emergency assistance and were considering additional and longer-range aid.