The Swedish government decided on 22 June to allocate up to SEK 440 million over a five-year period for reconstruction after the tsunami disaster in Asia. The support will go mainly to Indonesia and Sri Lanka and to regional initiatives.
Of the SEK 440 million allocated, SEK 150 million is intended for Indonesia, SEK 120 million for Sri Lanka and SEK 120 million for regional initiatives. In view of the great uncertainty at present about needs for funds during reconstruction, an unspecified reserve of SEK 50 million has been set aside.
SEK 220 million has been paid out previously in humanitarian support, out of the SEK 500 million that was made available immediately after the disaster. Total Swedish support for post-tsunami humanitarian assistance and reconstruction thus amounts to SEK 660 million.
Some of the support for Indonesia is being channelled via a reconstruction fund (Multidonor Trust Fund) established by the World Bank. Sweden is represented on the Steering Committee, as are the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Germany and the UK, among others.
“As a member of the Steering Committee, Sweden will do what it can to ensure that reconstruction in Aceh focuses on the needs of those who have been hardest hit,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation Carin Jämtin.
“The reconstruction process must be careful not to recreate poverty; it must lead to socially and environmentally sustainable development. The issues we will emphasise are coordination, a focus on poor people in conflict-sensitive areas and ensuring that measures are guided by the countries’ own priorities. Special attention must be paid to gender equality issues and the situation of children and a close eye must also be kept on the risk of corruption,” she continues.
