Tsunami: UNICEF House with Bill Clinton and Ann Veneman

Former US President Clinton chairs tsunami recovery meeting at UNICEF and UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman delivers a message on behalf of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Side Events
• Video Length: 00:09:49
• Production Date: 15 November 2006
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: ANN VENEMAN; BILL CLINTON
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: DISASTER RELIEF; NATURAL DISASTERS
• MAMS Id: 2082985
• Parent Id: 837091

Description

Former US President Bill Clinton, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, chaired a session at UNICEF headquarters with partner agencies today to assess progress in the massive rebuilding effort.

In opening remarks, Mr. Clinton lauded the successes achieved so far to ‘build back better’ in areas devastated by the December 2004 Indian Ocean disaster, which killed more than 200,000 people, displaced millions and destroyed entire communities. He highlighted lessons learned by the Global Consortium for Tsunami Recovery and stressed the urgent need to bolster emergency preparedness at the local and national levels.

Mr. Clinton acknowledged the particular impact on children in all of the tsunami-affected countries. “I appreciate the work that UNICEF has done throughout the region,” he said.

Also at the meeting, UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman delivered a message on behalf of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan – who thanked Mr. Clinton for making “a profound difference to the well-being of millions of tsunami survivors” and for infusing recovery programmes with a commitment to long-term economic and environmental sustainability.