In a major development, Pakistan and the United Nations (UN) have dramatically increased the amount sought in flood relief assistance. Pakistan and the UN will today jointly launch a fresh appeal for $800 million in flood aid at an event in Geneva.
According to the details, Ministerial level participation from the Government of Pakistan will include Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, attending the event in person in Geneva, and Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar participating virtually from Islamabad.
Read more: Pakistan requires enormous aid after floods: Gutteres
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths and Director General World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will represent the UN, along with Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Julien Harneis.
The meeting will be attended by the UN Member States as well as various UN agencies and humanitarian organizations working in the area of disaster relief.
🟢 #LIVE now.
Launch of Revised UN Flash Appeal-2022 for Pakistan Flood Response Plan.
Launched by Government of #Pakistan and @UN simultaneously.
Pakistan is represented by Min of CC @sherryrehman, Min EAD @AyazSadiq122 and MOS @HinaRKhar.
📍Geneva
📍Islamabad🇵🇰🤝🇺🇳 pic.twitter.com/6IQdN9KBsh
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 4, 2022
Devastation in Pakistan
Pertinent to mention that the UN had made the initial $160m appeal on August 30 but later revised it up five-fold to $816m, deeming the initial grant insufficient in the face of the unprecedented flood devastation.
As per the data, nearly 1,700 people have been killed in the floods and their aftermath caused by heavy monsoon rains and melting glaciers. 33 million people have been displaced.
Moreover, the UN has sounded the alarm on the rise of water-borne diseases in the country, particularly among the flood-hit population.
Therefore, a revised flood response plan prepared in close coordination between the government and the UN to cope with this devastation will be shared at today’s event.
The plan focuses on providing necessary assistance to the vulnerable people affected by the unprecedented floods and complements the government’s overall response to the recent climate-induced floods in Pakistan, a statement issued by the Foreign Office said.