Tajikistan compound crisis:

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• Tajikistan compound crisis
• Status report by UN Resident Coordinator

Mr. Michael Jones, UN Resident Coordinator in
Tajikistan 28 March 2008
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Contents

• Compound crisis
• Response overview (UN Flash Appeal)
• Current activities
• Spring thaw disasters
• Problems faced
• Recommendations.

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Compound crisis

• Several factors leading to this situation,
  including
• Severe winter
• Preparedness challenges at all levels of the
  government
• State of infrastructure in the country

• Immediate and long term impacts in multiple
  sectors (social, economic, etc)
• Food and agriculture continue to be of specific
  concern.

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Response overview I

• Government established commission
• Flash appeal developed jointly (Government, UN
  Agencies, donors, REACT partners) with a total
  amount of USD 25,192,893 covering 7 sectors
  (details in handouts)
• Assistance outside of the appeal amounts to more
  than USD 16 million
• Cluster approach established to support response
  operation.

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Response overview II
UN Flash Appeal - funding status
This table does not include funding provided
outside of the appeal.
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Current activities

• Cluster meetings held on weekly basis
• Revision of the appeal to cover outstanding needs
  based on detailed assessment by each sector
• Food security assessment planned for April May
  2008
• Preparations for the spring thaw disasters.

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Spring thaw disasters I
POTENTIAL SCENARIOS - IMPACT

• On average almost 1,500 households are directly
  affected by flooding, landslides, mudflows and
  heavy rainfall every year.

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Spring thaw disasters II
POTENTIAL SCENARIOS - TIMING

• April is the key month historically for the onset
  of spring thaw related natural disasters.

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Spring thaw disasters III
HAZARD ZONES

• 422 Villages identified as lying in disaster
  prone areas by Soviet-Era Survey
• Which equates to approximately 600,000 people or
  100,000 HHs

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Problems faced

• Coordination between Government and the
  International Community
• Major funding outside of the appeal
• Lack of information on distribution of bi-lateral
  assistance leading to possible duplication of
  aid
• Preparedness measures for spring floods
• Immediate need for a helicopter for Hydromet to
  conduct snow pack assessment.

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Recommendations I

• Include Committee of Emergency Situations in the
  Commission established for Energy Crisis
• Establish a Technical Working Group consisting of
  Commission members, UN, REACT partners and
  donors
• Technical Working Group to meet on bi-weekly
  basis
• Technical Working Group to work on
• Review of ongoing emergency operations
• Preparedness for spring thaw disasters
• Food security measures
• Lessons learned from this crisis to be presented
  at the International Conference on Water Related
  Disasters
• Develop action plans to prepare for the next
  winter.
• Strengthen Government involvement in REACT
  activities

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Recommendations II

• Support for CoES and UNDP initiative to develop
  National Disaster Risk Management Strategy (2008
  2015) and National Disaster Preparedness and
  Response Plan (2008 2010)
• Government Working Group to develop strategy and
  plan documents
• Present these strategic documents at the
  International Conference on Water Related
  Disasters in June 2008