Wellington, October 04: New Zealand will contribute a another one million NZ dollars (710,000 U.S. dollars) to emergency relief efforts following the tsunami in Samoa and Tonga, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said on Sunday.
“The emergency response is now well- advanced, and the Samoan government is doing a good job in coordinating relief efforts,” he said in a statement.
“During our recent visits to view the damage, both Prime Minister John Key and I reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to working closely with Samoa to identify where additional assistance can be best directed. Clearly a substantial recovery and rebuilding effort will be required in the weeks ahead. We are discussing the likely shape of a more substantial assistance package with the Samoan government and other donors, and working towards reaching decisions later in the week,” he added.
It is clear a considerable rebuilding effort on the south coast will be required. Priorities emerging include the need for clean water and sanitation, housing and restoration of the affected area’s tourism infrastructure.
–Agencies