TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations (UN) Representative Office in Indonesia is continuing its close monitoring of the post-disaster situation in Sumatra, as the region enters the third week following devastating floods and landslides. The UN has confirmed its active role in coordinating the emergency response across the three affected provinces in collaboration with the Indonesian government.
"On the ground, the UN is already supporting this government-led effort through technical assistance within the mandates of ongoing projects in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra," stated the official announcement from the UN Representative Office in Indonesia to the media on Monday, December 15, 2025.
In addition to provincial assistance, the UN is contributing to national-level disaster management through relevant ministries. The organization emphasized its readiness to strengthen support by maintaining close cooperation with the government.
The ecological disaster, marked by floods and landslides, swept across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra starting on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. The catastrophe has resulted in over a thousand deaths and displaced hundreds of thousands, with more than 200 people still reported missing.
A total of 52 districts across the three provinces were affected. According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Sumatra floods and landslides caused widespread damage, including 186,488 houses, approximately 1,600 public facilities, 967 educational facilities, 434 places of worship, 290 office buildings, 219 healthcare facilities, and 145 bridges.
Aceh Requests UN Support for Recovery
One of the affected provinces, Aceh, has formally requested the involvement of two UN-affiliated organizations: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in the post-disaster management and recovery efforts.
Based on hydrometeorological disaster mitigation data monitored by the Integrated Post Office of the Aceh Government, as of December 14, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. local time, the disaster impacted 18 regencies/cities, 225 districts, and 3,678 villages in Aceh. A total of 518,742 households, comprising 1,984,018 individuals, were victimized.
The toll in Aceh alone includes 430 reported deaths, 474 severely injured, and 3,845 slightly injured, with 32 people still missing.
The disaster in Aceh destroyed 164,906 housing units, 258 office facilities, 287 places of worship, 305 schools, 431 Islamic boarding schools, and 206 hospital/community health center units. Furthermore, 461 road segments and 332 bridges were damaged.
On Sunday, December 14, 2025, Aceh Government spokesperson Muhammad MTA confirmed that the local government took the initiative to contact international organizations currently running programs in Indonesia. The Aceh Government hopes their involvement will enhance recovery, particularly in sectors where the organizations specialize.
"Therefore, we, as the local government, are taking the initiative for international organizations that are currently active in Indonesia to remain present in Aceh, especially considering the current disaster," Muhammad MTA stated on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
UN Organizations Assess Needs
Both UN organizations have confirmed receipt of the official letter from the Aceh Government. Sara Ferrer Olivella, Head of the UNDP Indonesia Representative, stated that the UNDP received the official request on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
Sara confirmed that the UNDP is currently assessing the best form of support they can provide to the disaster response team and the affected communities. "This is in line with our mandate in early recovery," she stated via email correspondence on Monday, December 15, 2025.
UNICEF Indonesia released a similar statement, confirming that they are reviewing the requested area of support in coordination with relevant authorities.
"[This is] to identify priority needs where UNICEF can contribute to the government-led response efforts," UNICEF Indonesia's official statement to Tempo read on Monday, December 15, 2025.
UNICEF, along with other UN agencies, has already been collaborating with the central and local governments on the Sumatra disaster response, including in North Sumatra and West Sumatra. The UNICEF team at the Aceh Field Office has been on the disaster site since the beginning and has been reinforced with experts in fields related to child welfare.
UNICEF reaffirmed its full commitment and readiness to provide further support for the government-led disaster response efforts through close coordination with the relevant authorities.
Dani Aswara contributed to this article.
Read: Prabowo's Key Statements on the Sumatra Disaster
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