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MANILA, Oct 21: The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank said they would start an assessment in Pakistan on Monday of the needs and reconstruction costs after the devastating earthquake two weeks ago.
With winter closing in, an estimated two million survivors are still waiting for help in the rugged Himalayan foothills where 50,000 people are known to have died.
Donor countries have pledged just $86 million of the $312 million the United Nations has said is needed for immediate aid.
The Manila-based ADB said its part of the assessment would focus on education, transport, water, energy and agriculture, whereas the World Bank would concentrate on livelihood restoration, housing, health, private sector and environment.
The joint team is expected to submit its report by mid-November, the ADB said in a statement on Friday, according to Reuters.
“Efficient coordination is crucial at this stage to ensure that work is carried out as quickly as possible according to our strengths and experience,” said Peter Fedon, the ADB’s country director in Pakistan.
The World Bank team will conduct an economic assessment, assess hazard risk management and social safeguard needs, with the ADB assessing the capacity for reconstruction.
“The first thing is to provide all possible assistance to the communities affected by the earthquake,” John Wall, the World Bank’s country director for Pakistan, said in the statement.
“At the same time, it is imperative that the country’s poverty reduction programme does not lose steam.”
The day after the Oct 8 earthquake, the ADB reallocated $10 million from ongoing projects for emergency assistance in the worst affected areas and said it was prepared to significantly increase the amount.
The World Bank has announced $40 million to be redirected from existing projects and has said the amount would run to hundreds of millions of dollars, as soon as it was useful.
Our Reporter adds: “The Asian tsunami disaster earlier this year provided a model through which we could quickly mobilize a joint team to make an assessment that will guide the reconstruction and rehabilitation following the earthquake,” said Mr Fedon.
“We are racing against time to assess the damage so we can develop a reconstruction assistance strategy and begin the rebuilding. The World Bank and all other development partners of Pakistan are humbled by the scale of this disaster and are working together smoothly,” said Mr Wall.
The mission will conduct the assessment following the request of Pakistan to evaluate the actual costs and need of the rehabilitation in the quake-hit areas.
