|
Global Chemical Giant BASF Responds to UN-HABITAT Tsunami Appeal
Nairobi 6 April 2005 – Global chemical giant BASF
on Wednesday signed a partnership with UN-HABITAT which will see it contribute
immensely to the agency’s work in tsunami hit areas of Sri Lanka.
Under the agreement signed at the Gigiri headquarters of UN-HABITAT,
BASF will provide approximately US$ 500,000 plus support in kind by providing
technical personnel.
UN-HABITAT Executive Director Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka formalized the first
private sector partnership with BASF which took place on the sidelines
of the ongoing 20th Session of UN-HABITAT’s Governing Council meeting.
She said the partnership would help the agency improve livability and
quality of life for those persons hardest hit by the devastating effects
of the recent tsunami in the Indian Ocean region.
"What we are striving for is to strengthen local authorities, community
organizations and non-governmental organizations so they may be more effective
in the spheres of education, health, poverty eradication, human rights,
social integration, and infrastructure," Mrs. Tibaijuka told a news
conference Wednesday.
The Executive Director stated that the partnership would provide an innovative
solution in support of shelter and sustainable development that will contribute
to human settlements development, especially in relation to the generation
of work opportunities, basic services, access to productive resources
and construction of infrastructure.
BASF International Law Adviser Dr. Andreas Bluethner who signed on behalf
of his company said that the corporation headquartered in the City of
Ludwigshafen in Germany, believed that addressing the needs of the disadvantaged
can be a common goal that the UN and the private sector share. He added
that BASF is convinced that an effective and efficient response to the
humanitarian challenges of today requires the multiple capacities and
united strengths of complementary partners, such as the private sector
and the UN.
“With regard to the humanitarian and environmental impact of the
recent tsunami, BASF would make available resources, technologies and
capacities that contribute to the sustainable relief approach that UN-HABITAT
is taking. This is to bridge the relief, recovery and reconstruction phases
of the disaster and leverage scarce resources into long-term sustainable
development for affected cities and communities,” Dr. Bluethner
said.
He also reiterated that according to the principle of “mutual benefit”,
there were three potential gains to be secured from working with private
sector partners, which included effective implementation, enhanced resource
provision, and mutual learning.
Background
After the tsunami of 26 December 2004 an opportunity for private sector
engagement presented itself. Several corporations expressed interest in
providing humanitarian assistance within a well-coordinated strategic
action plan to recover from this disaster. In February 2005 BASF Corporation
of Germany fielded a technical expert to participate in the Office of
UN-HABITAT Executive Director/Disaster Management Programme joint assessment
mission to Sri Lanka. The added-value of BASF participation was the provision
of technologies and capacities, including those of their partners, in
support of UN-HABITAT’s integrated approach to sustainable relief,
reconstruction and longer-term urban development.
The two activities identified as the focus of the support will address
the technical and financial capacity of local authorities and communities
in Galle and Matara, Sri Lanka, allowing them to better assert their roles
in the recovery and reconstruction process. They were identified to be
suitable to address the humanitarian needs in the affected region. The
first is for reconstruction of destroyed fish market with a new Restaurant
Complex, to be constructed using the Monotech Building System, which will
recreate livelihoods for local fishermen and seafood traders, while at
the same time creating new livelihoods in restaurant management/tourism
for young persons, through a microcredit scheme, and enhancing food safety
for consumers of seafood.
The second, the recycling of debris and decontamination of soils and
sediments, will facilitate the recycling and reuse of soils and other
building materials for the community reconstruction process. This will
help to keep down the costs of building materials and directly contribute
to waste minimization, at the same time enhancing environmental restoration
and protection of the coastal environment.
For both projects, BASF will contribute financial resources of approximately
half a Million US$ and in addition technical expertise and personal in
kind. UN HABITAT will complement BASF’s contribution with expertise
and embed both projects in their programme activities in order to add
value to its implementation capacities.
Dr Bluethner stated that BASF was proud to be engaged in this innovative
public-private partnership with UN HABITAT, to be a part of the solution
to the enormous problems caused by the tsunami. He stated that ultimately
this partnership walks the talk of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s
call “to unite the creative forces of entrepreneurship with the
needs of the disadvantaged” and thereby demonstrates to what extent
the Global Compact can facilitate positive change.
Mrs. Tibaijuka reiterated that she believed that these activities would
truly benefit both the current and future generations of Sri Lankans.
The Executive Director, as a leading advocate for those disadvantaged
and impoverished homeless populations around the world, further reminded
those present of the silent tsunami affecting Africa: widespread poverty,
the AIDS pandemic, the crises in Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo,
unchecked growth of slums, among others. She states: “We now have
a model for working with the private sector, which has time and again
shown that it can rise to the occasion in support of human settlements
in crises.”
She was pleased, therefore, to announce the launch of this major private
sector cooperation initiative and to invited those present and others
with similar ideals to follow the partnership’s joint progress with
an eye to emulate and disseminate successful implementation of this innovative
model of collaboration.
For further information, please contact: Sharad Shankardass,
Spokesperson & Head, Press & Media Relations Unit, or Ms. Zahra
Hassan, Media Liaison, Tel: (254 20) 623153, 623151, Fax: 624060, E-mail:
habitat.press@unhabitat.org,
Website: www.unhabitat.org
|