IMODE News

Nukualofa 7 October 2009 – Two senior officials of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are on a mission to Tonga this week, in the follow up to the tsunami disaster.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Knut Ostby, is in Nukualofa with the New York-based UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR), Jordan Ryan.

UNDP released $USD50,000 to support emergency activities in response to the tsunami in Tonga. Mr. Ryan also announced to the Prime Minister that an additional amount of $USD250,000 is available upon the joint determination of the Government of Tonga and UNDP of its best use with respect to early recovery for the communities affected.

Mr Ryan who is representing the UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, arrived in Tonga yesterday where he met Government officials as well as the representative of the Red Cross and donors. Today Mr Ryan met with the Prime Minister of Tonga, Right Honourable Dr. Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele. In the meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Ryan expressed the condolences of UNDP to the Tongan citizens affected by the tsunami.

“UNDP is ready to support the Government of Tonga, in partnership with the UN family and donors, to assist the people of Niuatoputapu to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible. UNDP is also keen to support national efforts to reduce the risk of future disasters,” Mr Ryan said.

In addition to disaster recovery, UNDP’s programme in Tonga focuses on poverty reduction and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, support to Parliament and environment and sustainable management projects.

Background: On the morning of 29 September, a powerful earthquake struck south of the main Samoan Island chain with its epicentre 190 km south of the Samoan capital of Apia. Niuatoputapu in Tonga is seriously affected by the quake-triggered tsunami waves that also hit American Samoa and Samoa last week.

*UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.

(Nukua’lofa, August 28, 2009) – The United Nations Resident Coordinator and UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Knut Ostby yesterday presented his credentials to the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Honourable Dr Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele.

“We are delighted to welcome Mr Ostby to the Kingdom of Tonga and look forward to strengthening our ties with the United Nations during his tenure in the Pacific,” Dr Feleti Sevele said.

Mr Ostby represents the UN and UNDP in 10 Pacific island countries and as Resident Coordinator and is the highest UN ranking official in the Pacific based in Suva.

He brings with him a wide range of experience within the UN system,  including from previous assignments as UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kazakhstan, Senior UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Afghanistan, UNDP Evaluation Advisor in New York, UNDP Recovery Manager in the Maldives 2005, and UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Iran 2006-2009.

In his meeting with the Tongan PM, Mr Ostby highlighted two major joint priorities of the Government of Tonga and UNDP. They included the Millennium Development Goal capacity building and support to the Tonga Parliament (Fale Alea).

“In partnership with the Fale Alea, UNDP seeks to promote good governance through strengthening the Office of Parliament in providing efficient and sustainable advice and provision of services,” Mr Ostby said.

“UNDP also hopes to assist Tonga in meeting the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015. To this end, we will work together to enhance efforts within Government to meet the goals.”