United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) head Ann M. Veneman has lauded Madagascar for progress made with recovery and reconstruction following February's deadly cyclone.
With winds of up to 190 kilometers per hour, Cyclone Ivan was one of the biggest to hit the Indian Ocean island, which is prone to frequent cyclones and tropical storms.
More than 160,000 people were affected by the storm.
Some 364 schools and over 40 health centers were damaged or destroyed, with a serious impact on the health and well-being of children in the area.
In the first-ever visit by a UNICEF Executive Director to Madagascar, Veneman said she was pleased to see the "impressive" progress made in re-establishing basic health and education services.
"This is due to the engagement among the government, local communities and international organizations working together to improve conditions for children and their families," she said during a visit to Analanjirofo, the region hit hardest by the cyclone.
During her visit, Veneman met with the President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, the Prime Minister and several ministers to discuss progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals -- the eight targets, including halving extreme poverty and providing universal primary education, that world leaders pledged to achieve by 2015.
Veneman will next travel to Mozambique before journeying on to Mexico, where she will join Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other officials at the International AIDS Conference set to begin in Mexico City on Aug. 3.
Source:Xinhua
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