China Earthquake Response

Coordination Conference Call Summary, 5/14/08

BCLC hosted a conference call from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, about the cyclone and continued humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. Gerald McSwiggan, BCLC Manager of Special projects, moderated, and more than 100 people tuned in.

For questions about the responses to these disasters or to reach a speaker, get in touch with Gerald McSwiggan bclchelpdesk@uschamber.com

Audio Transcript

Speakers

Jim Bishop, InterAction

• InterAction currently has 19 NGOs on the ground in China.
• Find InterAction member NGOs at work in China

>> See comments about the Myanmar (Burma) crisis

Christelle Loupforest, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

• It is estimated that 15,000 are dead and 64,000 are injured as a result of the earthquake.
• The UN has not been asked to mobilize international assistance and therefore will not issue an international appeal for funding for the reliefs efforts in China. 
• China stated that it would not be useful to deploy international teams for relief but the country is accepting international in-kind contributions, which is being coordinated by the Chinese Government.

>> See comments about the Myanmar (Burma) crisis

Ned Olney, Save the Children

• There is a very different situation that exists in China. China has already committed enormous resources to phase one of the relief efforts. 
• Save the Children is looking toward the long-term recovery by helping with the rebuilding of schools and the creation of child friendly spaces.
• Also developing materials that children who have been traumatized can use to help their healing process. Save the Children is hoping to have a formal plan for implementation in the next few days. 

>> See comments about the Myanmar (Burma) crisis

Jim Thompson, Department of State

• The Department of State is monitoring the situation and figuring out what assistance is necessary. Hoping to develop a framework to develop public private partnerships. 
• The Department of State will be talking with the private sector in the weeks to come.

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