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UNITED NATIONS : A conference to raise funds for cyclone-battered Myanmar will be held Sunday in Yangon, the UN chief and ASEAN said Monday urging donors to help stricken survivors.
"In recognition of the outpouring of international solidarity and support for alleviating the devastating impact of the cyclone Nargis on Myanmar and the widespread suffering caused to its people, the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), announce the convening of an ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference," the statement said.
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The gathering "will focus on the needs of those affected by the cyclone, and seek international support and financial assistance for the international humanitarian response to meet the most urgent challenges, as well as longer term recovery efforts.
"The co-convenors call on the international community to rise to the occasion and translate their solidarity and sympathy into concrete commitments to help the people of Myanmar emerge from the tragedy and rebuilt their lives," they added in the statement.
Myanmar on Monday declared three days of mourning for cyclone victims after agreeing to an international aid effort led by its Southeast Asian neighbours to help two million survivors in dire need.
The reclusive military leader Than Shwe spent a second consecutive day Monday touring the disaster zone, venturing into the hardest-hit regions of the Irrawaddy Delta for the first time, state television said.
Until Sunday, the senior general had not made a single public appearance or remark about the disaster that has left at least 133,000 dead or missing. - AFP/ms
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