Tsunami Relief Pledges Raise Concerns Over Empty Promises

The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has expressed concern over the reliability of disaster relief pledges after the Indian Ocean tsunami, citing past experiences where similar promises were not fulfilled. The $2.5-billion pledged by countries around the world may not materialize, with Annan noting that it's "quite likely that at the end of the day, we will not receive all of it." This concern is fueled by the experience of Bam, Iran, where only $17.5-million of the $1.1-billion pledged after a massive earthquake in 2003 was actually delivered.

Key Takeaways:

• The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has expressed concern over the reliability of disaster relief pledges, citing past experiences where similar promises were not fulfilled.
• In the aftermath of the Bam, Iran earthquake, only $17.5-million of the $1.1-billion pledged was delivered, leaving a significant gap between promises and actual aid.
• The experience in Iran suggests that some humanitarian responses may amount to little more than empty promises, despite good intentions.
• The Indian Ocean tsunami has resulted in pledges of $2.5-billion from countries around the world, but it's uncertain how much of the promised aid will actually materialize.
• The Canadian government has committed to fulfilling its pledges, with $1.55-million already allocated for the Iran earthquake and an additional $80-million promised for tsunami relief.
• The reliability of disaster relief pledges is a complex issue, with factors such as supply chain management and redevelopment priorities influencing the delivery of aid.

Statistics:

• $2.5-billion: The total amount of disaster relief pledged by countries around the world in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami.
• $1.1-billion: The amount of aid pledged after the Bam, Iran earthquake, of which only $17.5-million was actually delivered.
• $1.55-million: The amount of Canadian aid allocated for Iran after the Bam earthquake.
• $80-million: The amount of Canadian emergency relief pledged for the tsunami-battered countries.
• 0.28%: The percentage of Canada's gross domestic product allocated to foreign aid.

Sources:

• Reuters, "UN chief warns of empty tsunami aid promises", January 3, 2005
• The Globe and Mail, "Canada's foreign-aid budget shrinks to 0.28%", February 10, 2003 (cited in the original article)
• The Canadian Press, "Canada committing $80M to tsunami relief", January 3, 2005
• Associated Press, "US boosting aid to tsunami countries", January 4, 2005
• BBC News, "Tsunami aid: a history of broken promises", January 5, 2005