COLOMBO, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is actively supporting the socio-economic recovery in Sri Lanka which experienced a long-standing civil conflict, UNDP Country Director Douglas Keh said.
Keh said in a recent interview with Xinhua that Sri Lanka has started the task of rebuilding the country since the three-decade- old conflict ended in May 2009.
He said the UNDP has worked closely with the Sri Lankan government to bring normal life to conflict-affected communities in north and east of the country and help local governments conduct recovery activities.
Transition Recovery Program is UNDP's flagship program in Sri Lanka providing housing, livelihoods and infrastructure needs of conflict-affected communities in the north and east, according to Keh.
He said the Transition Recovery Program has delivered approximately 38 million U.S. dollars between 2004 and 2007 and will continue to provide an integrated package of assistance to conflict-affected areas till 2012.
The country director said the UNDP also assists the Sri Lankan government in its demining efforts and reintegration of ex- combatants into civilian life.
With the efforts of the government, UNDP and other agencies, Sri Lanka has resettled about 260,000 war-displaced civilians and the rest of them currently being accommodated in welfare camps would be resettled by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, around 5,560 square kilometers of land has been cleared of mines in the former war zone and Sri Lanka hopes to complete the demining process by the year 2020.
Besides, a total of 11,000 former Tamil Tiger fighters are being released in stages and reintegrated back into society and the process will be completed by December this year.
Keh said with the resettlement process nearly complete it is time to help the returnees in the war-affected areas in the north and east get back on their feet, which implies a shift from dependence on humanitarian support to long-term solutions.
He said the UNDP believes that the move from dependency to self reliance will be achieved much faster with the active cooperation of private sector in the country, whose energy skills and resources constitute a powerful engine for sustainable, post- conflict recovery.
He said the UNDP has worked with major bushiness companies in the country to take forward the early recovery process in the east and north.
He said for its part UNDP's goal is to bring about sustained improvement in the lives of the poor and there is no more cost- effective strategy than to strengthen the partnership between Sri Lanka's private sector and its resettled communities.
Keh also thanked China for its key role in the development of Sri Lanka especially over the last five years.
He said the amount of resources China has brought into Sri Lanka in terms of major infrastructure investment, power generation, transportation has been tremendous.
He said China together with Japan, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have really helped to transform the infrastructural landscape of Sri Lanka.
Keh also spoke highly of the Memorandum of Understanding inked this year between Xinhua News Agency and UNDP to establish a strategic partnership and enhance cooperation in fields such as poverty reduction.
As a starting point to embark on the partnership, the two sides will jointly organize the first International Photography Contest entitled "Zoom-in on Poverty -- Action Now!"
"I think the partnership between Xinhua and UNDP is a very promising one, and a positive one that reflects the strength of both Xinhua and UNDP. And that partnership has a lot of potential to do good and to change people's lives throughout the developing world," said Keh.
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