By Derick Tsimba
Speaking in Harare today, the ambassador of Sweden to Zimbabwe Sofia Calltorp ambassador said the United Nations (UN) system had raised US$2.5 to provide relief efforts to Zimbabwe.
“We are providing relief efforts that have a long term effect to build back better and ensure lives are safeguarded.
“The UN system raised about US 2.5 million which is going to food, shelter, water and sanitation. Building back better and ensuring that the relief efforts we are providing link in to long term recovery efforts so that the lives of those people can in the long term be safeguarded is extremely important.
“This is a tragic situation and I want to express my and Sweden’s condolences to all the individuals that have been affected by the situation. We have heard that the people are still much distressed and that some are still missing. Our thoughts and hearts are still with the communities and families out there and as the international community what we can try to do as quickly as possible is to respond and to help,” she said.
She also said that Sweden was working closely with UN to make sure that relief was readily available.
“As Sweden, we work very closely with the UN here in Zimbabwe to make sure that there is stock and response capacity readily available. We managed to respond quickly to make sure that people got food, water, sanitation and non food items such as tents. We need to look in the long term that how those who are affected going to rebuild their lives. What is being rebuilt should sustain other similar events. We need to ensure that the lives of those affected are being rebuilt in ways that are sustainable,” said the ambassador of Sweden to Zimbabwe.
UN Chief, Bishow Parajuli said the UN Secretary General had appealed for international support and partners to do their best.
“It is devastating and heart breaking what happened in the several districts of Manicaland, the UN Secretary General has appealed for international support and partners to do their best. With support from these various partners, we have jumped in as the UN system running helicopters to ferry food and medicine.
“We are preparing and vaccinating for typhoid and providing non food items to meet the immediate needs of the people,” said the UN Chief.
Harare Post has learnt that by yesterday, the private sector in Zimbabwe had generated 45 million RTGS with a target of 100 million RTGS towards Cyclone Idai victims. The generosity of Zimbabwean people, the private sector and individuals in coming forward with support immediately is a sign of solidarity among the people of Zimbabwe from different walks of life.
