Tuesday, 17 May 2005
Timber for Aceh: Post Tsunami Reconstruction Initiative Seeks Donations
In the Aceh province in NW Sumatra, Indonesia alone — the epicenter of the quake and tsunami that ravaged Asia on December 26th of last year — reconstruction is expected to require some 1.6 - 3.2 million cu. meters of sawn timber over the next 5 years, including the rebuilding of about 150,000 residential homes.
Specifically, the TFA initiative is directed at (1) soliciting contributions of suitable forest products from legal, well-managed sources; (2) facilitating the procurement of suitable forest products funded by donations designated for tsunami relief and reconstruction; (3) facilitating the shipment of exports from the US to Aceh within existing relief operations; (4) liaison with the Indonesia government, local NGOs and private sector regarding in-country receiving and distribution to those in need and ready and able to rebuild; (5) partnering with local NGOs to monitor and verify the use of contributed forest products; and (6) ensuring the companies and other partners that participate in TFA receive appropriate public recognition for their assistance.
The TFA program has been endorsed by several prominent Indonesian officials at the provincial and federal level, and is expected to be part of the government's reconstruction and recovery blueprint due to be released by the end of this month.
The short term goal of TFA is to put together a pilot shipment of contributions from several suppliers (in order to spread the initial risk) that will demonstrate the feasibility of the concept, build an initial supply line, and respond in a timely enough fashion to earn the good will of stakeholders involved with rebuilding Indonesia. TFA intends to team up with a relief agency in order to ensure that the products donated get to where they are needed to those who most need it.
Although this appeal is for in-kind donations, the demand for building materials in tsunami-impacted areas is expected to be strong and significant for some time to come. Companies that respond to this appeal could find this to be an excellent point of entry to the Indonesian market and way to establish relationships for the longer term with those entities that will rebuild tsunami impacted regions.
For more information, please contact Christine Pendzich, Deputy Director, Forest Program ( 202-778-9533 ) or Bruce Cabarle, Director Forest Program, WWF-US, phone 202.822.3450 .