Chinese Ministry of Commerce provides $4 million USD through the UNDP-China South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund for disaster recovery in Bangladesh

Project narrative

In November 2017, the Chinese Government provided $17 million USD through the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to partner with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in support of the recovery and reconstruction efforts in five countries : 1) $4 million USD to Bangladesh for emergency shelter and household packages (as captured by this project); 2) $4 million USD to Nepal (see Record ID#53718); 3) $4 million USD to Pakistan (see Record ID#87787); 4) $2 million USD to Antigua and Barbuda (see Record ID#87791); 5) $3 million USD the Commonwealth of Dominica (see Record ID#55325); The Chinese Government and UNDP first established the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund in 2016. It is unclear how much in total China has contributed to this special fund. In 2017, South Asian monsoons caused considerable flooding in northern Bangladesh. The floods impacted 7 million in 31 districts, destroyed 82,000 homes and damaged countless more, and left 320,000 people in need of aid to repair their homes and replace their damaged or lost belongings. To support this recovery, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) partnered with UNDP to provide $4 million USD to support early recovery efforts. This partnership was said to be a first of its kind collaboration between UNDP and the Chinese Government. As part of this initiative, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) was able to provide reproductive health kits, medicines, and supplies for medical facilities, especially for women and girls. 118,000 women in Cox’s Bazar (home of the Kutupalong refugee camp, a predominantly Rohingya refugee camp) received the health packages. In addition to the 118,000 refugee women in Cox's Bazar, a total of 13,910 families - 69,550 people - affected by the floods in the Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Bogra, and Nilphamari Districts received relief materials as part of this initiative. 58,750 people specifically received emergency dignity kit and health response kits. The donated relief materials included saucepans, blankets, school bags, handsaws, steel trucks, bet sheets, mosquito nets, and CGI sheets. The flood relief and health kits were were all distributed on February 10, 2018.