Tue 30 August 2022:
On Tuesday, the UN made a quick request for $160 million to assist Pakistan in dealing with the disastrous floods that have claimed more than 1,100 lives since mid-June, according to officials.
The pledge drive began simultaneously in Geneva and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
“United Nations is issuing a flash appeal for $160 million to support response led by the government of Pakistan,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a video message.
These funds will provide 5.2 million people with food, water, sanitation, emergency education, protection and health support.
He said that the world must take collective action against climate change and assist Pakistan in responding to crisis.
One third of country is under water
Speaking to the BBC, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said one-third of those killed are believed to be children.
“We’re still coming to grips with the extent of the damage,” he added.
“A very early, preliminary estimate is that it is big, it is higher than $10bn (£8.5bn),” Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters.
Almost half of the country’s cotton crop has been washed away and vegetable, fruit, and rice fields have sustained significant damage, he added.
Neighbouring China on Tuesday announced 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) in aid to Pakistan.
Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, European Union, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have already announced they will contribute to relief efforts.
According to Pakistan’s planning minister, the flooding has inflicted around $10 billion losses to Pakistan’s economy, which was already struggling in the face of high current account and fiscal deficits and chronic energy shortages.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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