UN resident coordinator Bishow Parajuli.

HELPING people in emergency situations and providing support so they can continue their livelihoods is nothing new for Bishow Parajuli, the new head of the United Nations in Myanmar.

Mr Parajuli, a Nepalese development and humanitarian expert, started his Myanmar assignment soon after cyclone Nargis swept through the Ayeyarwady delta in early May, affecting about 2.5 million people. He told The Myanmar Times in an interview on Friday that most of his past experiences with the UN have involved dealing with high-profile emergency and development situations.

“Even in the humanitarian context I like to see the developmental element, so I am always looking out for how to help people in the long term,” Mr Parajuli said.

He said his experience with emergency situations, garnered during 25 years of work with the world body, includes dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters, working on income-generating programs for the urban poor in developing countries, and overseeing humanitarian relief operations.

Mr Parajuli was named to his post in Myanmar in late March, at which time he was serving as the head of UN World Food Program in Cairo, Egypt. He arrived in Myanmar just days after the cyclone struck and presented his credentials on May 25.

With the UN mounting a huge aid operation in Myanmar, Mr Parajuli said he has been contemplating how the mechanism of cooperation that has developed during the Nargis relief operation could be expanded to increase collaboration between the UN and the Myanmar government, and to widen the UN’s cooperation in the country.

The highlight of this cooperation has been a landmark visit to Myanmar by UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon in late May, which included talks with Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe.

“I hope to help deepen relations between the United Nations and Myanmar, and to further collaboration for improving the livelihoods of the people of Myanmar,” said Mr Parajuli, who is also the head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Myanmar.

“I hope to provide support from the UNDP side and to help address some of the basic needs of the people,” he said.

Mr Parajuli said efforts to provide relief for survivors of the cyclone would not deter the UN from helping people in other parts of Myanmar.

“I believe Nargis will remain a priority but ongoing work in other parts of Myanmar will also continue,” he said.

“I would even say that with this cooperation and collaboration, and if we are able to build increased trust and confidence, maybe there could be more resources coming into Myanmar in the years to come,” he said.

Mr Parajuli also represents the UN in the tripartite working group, which brings together the UN, the government and ASEAN in a collaborative effort to mobilise international assistance for the emergency relief and rehabilitation of cyclone-affected areas.

One important result of Mr Ban’s visit in May was government approval for foreign aid workers to visit storm-devastated areas of the Ayeyarwady delta.

Mr Parajuli said more foreign aid workers would be needed to help with the massive task of rebuilding the delta, which according to some estimates could take at least two years.

He said the immediate task facing international aid agencies was to help people in Myanmar’s major rice growing region to rebuild their livelihoods.

“I anticipate that [foreign aid workers] will be very much needed and I think continued cooperation and support from the government will be really important,” he said.

“It needs to be seen as an added benefit, as a chance for Myanmar people to learn and an opportunity for better management of the relief and rehabilitation program.

“Aid workers are not coming here just for the sake of coming. They are experts and their presence will be of great benefit to the planning and management humanitarian relief, rehabilitation and recovery,” Mr Parajuli said.