Tsunami Envoy Clinton Warns Toughest Time Still Ahead
NEW YORK, New York, July 14, 2005 (ENS) - The most difficult phase of recovery from last December's Indian Ocean tsunami lies ahead, former U.S. President Bill Clinton told the United Nations today at its headquarters in New York. The UN special envoy for tsunami recovery, Clinton has just returned from a trip to the Indian Ocean countries where he said many people are still living in tents, despite the resources that exist to create satisfactory, semi-permanent shelters.
Clinton told the UN Economic and Social Council meeting today on lessons learned from tsunami disaster that his experiences over the past five months as special envoy reconfirmed his belief in the intrinsic value of the United Nations, both as the deliverer of vital services in the aftermath of a crisis and "as the glue that holds international cooperation together."
"History tells us that this phase is in many ways the most difficult," Clinton said during a panel discussion on the disaster. "I am warning people that we may have more bad days than good this year. It will be a complex and frustrating time. Recovery in each country will need a customized response and will move at different speeds."
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