Indonesia: What Aceh got right rebuilding from the 2004 tsunami
According to the country director for the United Nations Development Program, which managed a $200 million tsunami portfolio in aid and grants between 2005 and 2012, Indonesia got a few things right in rebuilding after the 2004 tsunami, reports Wall Street Journal.
“They very quickly understood that they should use this as an opportunity to build back better and make sure that whatever they do puts Aceh on a higher trajectory of development than before the tsunami,” said Beate Trankmann, Indonesia country director for the UNDP.
In 2007, the Indonesia introduced new disaster management law that shifted the focus on prevention and risk management from only emergency response. Since then, Indonesia has cooperated with international and non-profit organizations on establishing standard evacuation procedures, building escape buildings and marked out evacuation routes, and designated the national meteorological agency (BNKG) with issuing earthquake and tsunami warnings.