A statement released by the Secretary General this morning announced Malloch Brown's role in the relief effort to "ensure a comprehensive consultation and planning process that responds to the needs of the Afghan people themselves." As UNDP Administrator, Malloch Brown will involve his fellow heads of funds and programmes to carry out the task, and will serve as a liaison between the Secretary General and donor organizations, international non-governmental organizations, and civil society.

"The system is braced and poised for a major effort here, and what I can do is offer it the leadership at the global level and try to make sure that we have a strong partnership with others," Malloch Brown told a news conference today at the United Nations.

Malloch Brown said the challenge was to structure a program, which "shows the same transference of the local knowledge of the country that we've developed in our humanitarian years there into a coherent recovery and reconstruction plan."

He highlighted three crucial projects that the UN must act on immediately. First, Malloch Brown spoke of "quick impact projects," which constitute rapid redevelopment of community activities. The second plan involves the redevelopment of municipal resources, which have been in poor condition for many years and have taken a particularly terrible hit in the recent months. Third, Malloch Brown addressed the extreme food deficit that has plagued Afghanistan because of a long drought. "It is extremely important to rehabilitate the agricultural economy," said Malloch Brown.

When asked to put a price on the cost of the relief effort in Afghanistan over the next five years, Malloch Brown could only draw a comparison. He suggested that relief efforts in Afghanistan would look similar to those that took place in Mozambique. Mozambique, a poor country formerly plagued by political conflict, required $6.5 billion over five years in redevelopment funding. Malloch Brown also noted that the "real costs" come during years three, four and five when "capital costs soar and political commitment declines."

Malloch Brown noted that international efforts were gaining momentum, with many meetings scheduled in the near future, including one tomorrow in Washington DC. Tomorrow, donors and international organizations will gather to discuss relief efforts in Afghanistan at a meeting co-hosted by the United States and Japan.