India and elsewhere

India on lockdown can only be big news. That’s an impressive number of people. And it raises deep concerns as we know the fragilities of the health system in the country. I can only hope the virus does not spread out all over the country. And then, I think of other countries in the region, also with large populations and even weaker health facilities. And down the line, we have Africa. Everything must be done to prevent the spread of Covid-19 into the poorest parts of the world. If that is let to happen, we would be moving into massive tragedies. All this constitutes an unprecedented challenge.

Nepal´s tragedy calls for sustained support

Nepal´s earthquake and its aftershocks have caused a major humanitarian disaster. I feel extremely sorry for the Nepalese people and all those who have been directed impacted by the catastrophe.

A number of rescue teams, from several countries, have responded to the crisis. This is an area where the international community has been able to build capacity to respond fast.

t is also an area that requires strong coordination mechanisms. The efforts of the many official and non-governmental agencies that have been deployed to Nepal need to be properly integrated. Very often the host authorities are not in a position to do the required coordination. They are too busy responding to the many individual dramas throughout the disaster area. That´s why it is important for the UN to deploy a strong coordination management team. If it is composed of experienced people it will be much easier for its authority to be accepted by all the other players.

Let´s hope that´s the case this time.

After the initial response comes the very long process of rebuilding. It will require a very steady support from the international community. Nepal cannot do it alone. Unfortunately past experience shows that the mobilisation of resources from the international community is not an easy task. There is money for a quick humanitarian response, but there is little left for long term assistance. A big country needs to take the lead and help to attract other donors. Could it be India? In my opinion, and because of regional geopolitical considerations, it would be better to look for a godfather elsewhere, outside the vicinity of Nepal.

That will be a complex political challenge.