Responding immediately to the earthquake in Haiti last week, the UN sent aid workers and essentials to the devastated country. It is this efficiency and effectiveness that makes the UN so important, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

The earthquake in Haiti has killed tens of thousands of people and left many more homeless. The rest of the world responded immediately to the tragedy and sent aid workers and essentials to the battered Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and other cities. Aid workers have helped rescue people from debris and provided medical and other help to tens of thousands of Haitians.

Among all the countries and organizations that have rushed in essentials and rescue and relief workers, the UN has been the most efficient.

The world body began its donation initiative four days after the tragedy and by that time it had already reached supplies and relief workers to Haiti. In fact, UN workers have been omnipresent in disaster zones across the world over the last few years.

To a large extent, the effectiveness of the UN aid program can be attributed to its efficient organizational work.

The UN under secretary-general has assumed the role of emergency relief coordinator, and is ready to take up the responsibility of organizing relief for emergencies. Thanks to his excellent work many world bodies, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, have been able to go into action immediately after a disaster has struck and save precious lives.

The UN has a long-term donation regime. More than 70 percent of its funds come from donations. And it adheres to strict principles when it comes to using the donated money, placing itself under strict supervision.

When the deadly tsunami struck in December 2004, one UN official had said that the world body was well organized to help the victims. He was right. It is this good organizational work that has made the UN so important in aid operations.