April 26, New York – The United Nations is marking the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident with a vital message of hope and an appeal to the international community to redouble efforts to assist the social and economic recovery of the regions hardest hit by the 1986 reactor explosion.
Kemal Dervis, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, will commemorate the anniversary in his address at the General Assembly’s Special Session on Chernobyl in New York on Friday, April 28.
“As the UN solemnly marks the 20th Anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, we stand in solidarity with those affected by the tragedy and renew our commitment to assisting communities in their recovery,” said Dervis. "Today, we also acknowledge that this is a time for hope as we move forward in building a better future for all those whose lives have been changed by this tragedy.”
The UN shifted its strategy on Chernobyl from emergency relief to long-term recovery and development in 2002, focusing on three areas: i) community, economic and social development; ii) provision of factual and credible information, and iii) policy advice. UNDP assumed responsibility for UN-wide coordination of Chernobyl issues in 2004.
UNDP sees a lack of social and economic opportunities – the result both of resettlements and economic restrictions imposed after Chernobyl and of dislocations after the disintegration of the Soviet Union – as the biggest challenge facing affected communities in Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the countries most affected by the nuclear accident.
Its emphasis on promoting social and economic development is in line with the recommendations of the Chernobyl Forum, a consortium of eight UN agencies and representatives of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine created in 2003 to help the affected populations, the region''s governments, and international organizations gain a clear understanding of the impact of the Chernobyl accident on health and the natural environment.
“This year''s anniversary is an occasion to remember the suffering and honor the victims of Chernobyl,” said Ad Melkert, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator. “At the same time as paying respect to the past, however, we need to take stock of the present and look ahead to the future. In assessing the prospects for recovery from Chernobyl, we see prospects for hope.” Melkert just returned from Belarus where he commemorated the anniversary during an address in Minsk.
The Forum presented its findings, the work of hundreds of scientists, economists and health experts, last September. The findings, while emphasizing that Chernobyl was a “very serious accident with major health consequences”, offered a largely reassuring assessment of the health and environmental impact of the accident. They provide further impetus to UN efforts to promote social and economic development as the most fruitful response to the Chernobyl legacy.
United Nations specialized agencies have launched a host of initiatives to assist sustainable development in affected communities, including the World Bank’s recent approval of a $50 million loan to Belarus for an energy-efficiency project in areas affected by the accident. The World Health Organization (WHO), which this month released the most comprehensive scientific report so far on the health impacts of Chernobyl, is continuing efforts to improve healthcare for affected populations through the establishment of telemedicine and educational programmes, and supporting research. UNICEF has renewed its call for the three countries to adopt and implement universal salt iodization to fight iodine deficiency, which is the world’s leading cause of mental retardation and is a danger to pregnant women and young children.
In Belarus, UNDP is working through the Cooperation for Rehabilitation (CORE) programme to help restore community infrastructure and boost local incomes by creating new jobs.
In Ukraine, UNDP’s Chernobyl Recovery and Development Programme has helped found 207 community organizations in 139 villages, with almost 20,000 members. These organizations address pressing community needs and also promote a new sense of self-reliance by implementing locally designed projects. Typical examples include school renovation projects and the creation of new health clinics and youth centres. The youth centres are especially important in small villages, where there is often no place for young people to gain computer skills, learn about healthy lifestyles or participate in social activities.
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director Kalman Mizsei underscored the profound impact these programmes have on community attitudes, “transforming a deep-seated helplessness into a spirit of activism.”
“By encouraging residents to take fate into their own hands, we are confident we are helping to build sturdy local foundations for a robust democracy,” said Mr. Mizsei.
Mr. Mizsei called on the sustained generosity of the international community to support this restoration of the region’s economic and social vitality. The appeal was also backed by a statement released on behalf of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl:
“The Secretary-General believes that the best way for the international community to pay homage to those who suffered from Chernobyl is to provide generous support to programmes designed to help traumatized communities regain self-sufficiency, and affected families resume normal, healthy lives.”

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For more information, please contact Christina LoNigro in New York, +1 212-906-5301, Christina.lonigro@undp.org or Snezhana Kolomiets in Kyiv, Ukraine, +380 50 469-2961+380 44 254-0035, snezhana.kolomiets@undp.org.

For more information about UN activities on Chernobyl, please visit: http://chernobyl.undp.org