Release number IFAD/09/07

New exhibit showcases the country’s major reconstruction efforts

Rome, 14 February – The devastation wrought by the 2004 tsunami in Asia and the two years of reconstruction work that has ensued was the subject of a multimedia exhibit unveiled today at the Governing Council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the Palazzo dei Congressi.

In a brief statement on the occasion, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Italy, Susanto Sutoyo, said that aid and assistance from the international community helped his country to “put life back to normal” – but warned that such a tragedy could happen again.

“We need to remain vigilant and make the most of the lessons learned from this tsunami,” said Sutoyo.

“The tsunami stole people’s loved ones and possessions but it did not take away their spirit,” said IFAD President Lennart Båge. “I applaud the way countries in the region have been able to work together to rebuild lives and support their neighbours.”

Approximately 57,000 permanent homes, 1,000 schools and 330 health care facilities have been rebuilt in Indonesia since the tragedy. New roadways, fishing vessels and coastal protection, including sea walls and dykes, have also been built.

The exhibit features personal stories and artwork from Indonesian children who survived the tsunami, as well as video clips of various reconstruction works.

The massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean and the subsequent series of tidal waves killed more than 200,000 people in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

More than 167,000 people were pronounced dead or missing in Indonesia, and about half a million people were left homeless. The Indonesian province of Aceh suffered the worst physical damage; more than 40 per cent of its inhabitants reportedly lost their livelihoods after the tsunami.

The exhibit was organized by the Government of Indonesia as a token of its appreciation for the assistance and cooperation provided to its country by the three Rome-based UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and IFAD.

The Governing Council is IFAD’s highest decision-making authority. Its annual meeting serves as a forum for discussing policy and budget issues that relate to the global fight against rural poverty. Delegates from IFAD’s 165 Member states, including ministers of finance, agriculture and rural development, attend the annual meeting.

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IFAD is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Through low-interest loans and grants, it develops and finances projects that enable poor rural people to overcome poverty themselves. There are 185 ongoing IFAD-supported rural poverty eradication programmes and projects, totalling US$6.1 billion. IFAD has invested US$2.9 billion in these initiatives. Cofinancing has been provided by governments, beneficiaries, multilateral and bilateral donors and other partners. At full development, these programmes will help nearly 77 million poor rural women and men to achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Since starting operations in 1978, IFAD has invested US$9.5 billion in 732 programmes and projects that have helped more than 300 million poor rural men and women achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Governments and other financing sources in the recipient countries, including project participants, have contributed US$9.1 billion, and multilateral, bilateral and other donors have provided another US$7.1 billion in cofinancing.