By Bernama,
Yangon : United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived at Yangon Thursday morning to reinforce Myanmar’s post-storm relief efforts after some parts of the country were devastated by cyclone Nargis early this month, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.
Ban was greeted at the Yangon International Airport by Myanmar Foreign Minister U Nyan Win.
Ban is expected to meet Myanmar top leadership and senior government officials in Nay Pyi Taw as well as resident UN organizations in Yangon and discuss channels for scaling up quick relief efforts and prompt distribution of aid supplies during his two-day visit which will cover cyclone-hard-hit delta region in southwestern Ayeyawaddy division and Yangon division.
Bringing his sympathy to and support for the Myanmar government and people and claiming that it is a critical moment for Myanmar, Ban said before his departure from Bangkok for Myanmar that he will do his utmost to save the lives of Myanmar people, adding that the U.N. has a functioning program in place but so far been able to reach only about 25 percent of Myanmar people in need.
He stressed his and UN role “to work closely with ASEAN and the Myanmar government to ensure that all these efforts are well coordinated and as effective as they can be under these difficult circumstances” and source more “non-politicized” assistance.
In response to his call to quickly allow more international relief teams in to provide direct aid in a critical moment, Ban also said that Myanmar has allowed the U.N. to operate nine WFP (World Food Program) helicopters to ferry relief supplies to cyclone victims stranded in largely inaccessible disaster-hit areas.