United Nations Foundation Commits $1 Million and Creates Fund for
United Nations’ South Asia Earthquake Response

WASHINGTON — The United Nations Foundation Board announced today a commitment of $1 million to United Nations Earthquake relief initiatives in South Asia. This commitment will help support the UN’s immediate response in the affected countries of Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan, build critical communications and logistics capacities, and support the UN’s aid coordination role.

In addition, the UN Foundation established the South Asia Earthquake Response Fund to allow individual donations in support of the UN’s emergency relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation efforts. To learn more about the Fund and the UN’s relief work, visit www.unfoundation.org.

“Once again, victims of disaster have turned to the UN and the international community in their time of need,” said Ted Turner, Founder and Chairman of the UN Foundation. “The world needs the UN’s leadership in these times, and the UN needs the world’s support. We are communicating with the UN and its agencies to learn where UN Foundation funds may be of greatest assistance to the UN’s relief efforts.”

Working closely with its direct UN counterpart, the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), the UN Foundation is also partnering with a number of corporations, foundations, and donors around the world to support these immediate and second stage rehabilitation efforts of the United Nations.

"I am deeply saddened by the devastation in my country and my thoughts go out to all of the victims,” said Pakistan native Nafis Sadik, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General and member of the UN Foundation Board. “I am grateful for the lifesaving work of the United Nations and the support of the UN Foundation.”

“It is encouraging to see India and Pakistan working together, the international community's quick response, and the UN's unique ability to respond quickly and efficiently to emergencies," said N. R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman and Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies Limited in India and UN Foundation Board member.

The UN, working closely with a number of countries and aid organizations, is managing the relief efforts. Almost immediately, the United Nations Disaster Management Team created three UN inter-agency rapid assessment missions to establish the most urgent needs and coordinate relief efforts. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is managing hundreds of UN staff around the globe who have: airlifted 120 tons of high energy biscuits; delivered 17,000 blankets, 300,000 water purification tablets, 12,000 sweaters, 10,000 pairs of children’s boots, hospital tents, family tents, plastic sheeting, mattresses, kitchen sets, emergency lamps, and soap; and sent 17 national surgical teams and provided the Ministry of Health with two New Emergency Health Kits containing medical supplies that will help take care of 10,000 people for three months.

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The UN Foundation was created in 1998 with businessman and philanthropist Ted Turner’s historic $1 billion gift to support United Nations’ causes. The UN Foundation promotes a more peaceful, prosperous, and just world through the support of the UN. Through its grant making and by building new and innovative public-private partnerships, the UN Foundation acts to meet the most pressing health, humanitarian, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges of the 21st century. (www.unfoundation.org)