Australia to aid post-Nargis recovery plan in Myanmar

Australia will extend 15 million U.S. dollars more of fund to Myanmar for carrying out various post-Nargis recovery plans in cyclone-hit areas, the local Biweekly Eleven reported Thursday.

Of the fund provided through international non-governmental organizations, 7 million dollars will be used in water, environmental sanitation and hygiene program, 4 million dollars in food security, 2 million in education, one million each in maternal health care and resettlement programs.

It is estimated that about 103 million dollars' international assistance are still urgently needed for the cyclone-hit areas to deal with education, healthcare, vocational, home construction, water and sanitation, the report said.

According to the report, Australia had already funded Myanmar 23.5 million dollars and 31 tons of aid supplies for relief and resettlement of survivors in the cyclone-hit areas.

Cyclone Nargis swept Myanmar's five divisions and states -- Ayeyawaddy, Yangon, Bago, Mon and Kayin on May 2 and 3 last year, of which Ayeyawaddy and Yangon inflicted the heaviest casualties and massive infrastructure damage.

Meanwhile, the Australian government has also increased its financial aid to Myanmar to 59 million dollars this year from 17 million dollars normally in the previous years to train officials and staff from government ministers in the human rights sector.

Source: Xinhua