The United Nations on Tuesday urged international donors for the tsunami-stricken countries to quicken the pace of their pledges to help the reconstruction effort and provide relief and sanitation.  

Before the start of an international donors meeting at the UN Geneva Office, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said pledges made by donors to date need to be realized urgently to speed reconstruction projects in the tsunami-hit areas around the Indian Ocean.

He said only US$300 million pledged by the donors have been realized, way below the US$3.4 billion committed so far by governments, world organizations and financial institutes.

He said the UN would set up a real time financial tracking system to guarantee the pledged money reaches the affected countries as quickly as possible and will start an immediate investigation into how the aid is handled.

He hoped that the pledged aid be transported and distributed effectively and quickly to the people most in need.

"Our greatest challenge remains how to make sure that the right kind of relief reaches the people who need it most", he said, adding that the UN would see when they (the donations) are committed, when they are distributed, and when they are realized.

He also expressed his concern that a second wave of disease and death will follow "if aid does not immediately reach all in need before preventable epidemics break out."

The tsunami of December 26 caused great loss of life and property and many affected countries are facing challenges to rebuild their homeland.

"Thanks to the efforts made by the international community, we can avoid the second wave of destruction of disease and death," he said.

He said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched an appeal in Jakarta last week for US$977 million. "It represented the collective efforts of over 40 humanitarian partners on the ground to meet emergency needs of about five million people over a six-month period."

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2005)