In his efforts days ahead to pave way for Ban's arrival, UN Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who is also emergency relief coordinator, had visited Myanmar and toured some three cyclone-hit areas of Laputta, Bogalay and Wakema in the Ayeyawaddy delta region.
Holmes said Myanmar needs much more international aid for relief after disaster and most of the survivors, who face with food and shelter needs and healthcare, are still not kept in relief camps although there has been a large number of them already accommodated.
He pointed out that a lot of aid supplies are still badly needed, especially food and shelter materials, for such an enormous number of people, estimating that it takes three to six months for rehabilitation.
He also believed that between 1.6 million and 2.5 million people were severely affected by the cyclone and doubted the number of the homeless.
Meanwhile, agreed by Myanmar, an ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism, chaired by Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Surin Pitsuwan, has been established in accordance with the decisions made on Monday's Special Meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Singapore.
The move is to facilitate the effective distribution and utilization of international assistance for Myanmar cyclone victims and a pledging conference involving the U.N. is scheduled for Sunday, May 25 in Yangon to raise fund for cyclone-affected victims.
As a pre-move, Surin visited Yangon two days ahead of Ban's arrival to take ASEAN's lead in coordinating and liaising with the UN system and international community in assisting Myanmar to recover from cyclone Nargis.
Following initial lifting of some restrictions on accepting foreign aid workers, five foreign medics respectively from neighboring Thailand, India, Laos, China and Bangladesh have been allowed in to render direct medical aid to Myanmar cyclone victims.
