UN flash appeal seeks Rs35bn for flood victims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Nations on Tuesday jointly launched the “2022 Pakistan Floods Response Plan (FRP)”, at the Foreign Office, seeking Rs 35.8bn ( $160.3m) focusing on the needs of 5.2 million people, covering food security, assistance for agriculture and livestock, shelter and non-food items, nutrition programmes, primary health services, protection, water and sanitation, women’s health, and education support, as well as shelter for displaced people.

Later the United States Embassy said that the US remains steadfast in its support for affected communities throughout Pakistan while announcing an additional $30 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance. Besides, Canada, Azerbaijan and UK pledge $5m, $1.2m and £1.5m in aid, respectively.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari speaking at the event said, “ This appeal is expected to address only a part of the overall requirements and will, therefore, complement the broader effort.” He emphasized that he was speaking at a time of grave crisis in Pakistan while the international community’s “full support and solidarity with the people of Pakistan at this time would go a long way in alleviating their suffering and in helping to rebuild their lives and communities”.

In his video message, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it is heartbreaking to see Pakistanis who hosted millions of Afghan refugees hit by colossal devastation. He praised Pakistan’s response which he said had been swift and pointed out that Islamabad has released national funds, including in the form of immediate cash relief. “But the scale of needs is rising like the flood waters. It requires the world’s collective and prioritized attention. Pakistan is awash in suffering. The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids — the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding”, he said. He emphasized that South Asia was one of the world’s climate crisis hotspots.“People living in these hotspots are 15 times more likely to die from climate impacts. As we continue to see more and more extreme weather events around the world, it is outrageous that climate action is being put on the back burner as global emissions of greenhouse gases are still rising, putting all of us — everywhere — in growing danger”, he told the audience.

The launch event was well attended by the diplomatic corps both in Islamabad and Geneva, heads of UN agencies in Pakistan, representatives of international organizations, IFIs, civil society and media, said the Foreign Office. The participants offered condolences and expressions of solidarity on the loss of precious lives and damage to infrastructure by the floods, and assured their continued support to the relief, rescue, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts of Pakistan. The joint Pakistan-United Nations appeal comes at a time when according to official figures, over 1,100 people including over 350 children have lost their lives, more than 1,600 people have been injured, over 287,000 houses have been fully and 662,000 partially destroyed, over 735,000 livestock have perished and 2 million acres of crops have been adversely impacted, besides severe damage to communications infrastructure.

Speaking at the event, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his address said: “Nature is sending us all a new message. And because of its geographic location, and a confluence of other vectors, Pakistan has become the ground zero of this century’s biggest existential threat, global warming”.

Delivering the keynote address, he added: “the government’s efforts are being supported by the Pakistani nation with people, civil society and humanitarian organizations stepping forward in a big way to complement the relief work with our characteristic generosity and philanthropic spirit. The Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022 has also been established to facilitate people all over the country and overseas to contribute to the flood relief efforts.” The foreign minister warned that the situation is likely to deteriorate even further as heavy rains continue over areas already inundated by more than two months of storms and flooding. “For us, this is no less than a national emergency. For the most vulnerable, especially the women and children impacted by this disaster, this is a life-defining experience”, he said. Bilawal pointed to critical infrastructure – roads, bridges and railway network – that has been seriously damaged or destroyed. “This is impeding our efforts for delivery of aid and transportation of affectees to safer locations”, he said. He stressed that this disaster is colossal in its scale and devastation. “ It has severely strained, even overwhelmed, both our resources and capacities. It has left millions vulnerable to health emergencies and a critical lack of basic survival needs. The gap between such needs and the capacity to deliver with speed and scale is crucial at this point. It requires urgent cooperation and support from the international community”, he said.

The Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal highlighted that “Pakistan being a negligible contributor to the overall carbon footprint, is still among the top ten countries that are vulnerable to climate change, and with extreme weather events which we have experienced from earlier this year like the heat waves, forest fires, multiple glacial lake-outburst-floods and now these disastrous monsoon floods.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis said: “This super flood is driven by climate change - the causes are international and so the response calls for international solidarity.” He further added, “across Pakistan, I have seen government workers, ordinary people, out in the rain and water, saving lives and giving the little they have to those who have lost everything. We, in the international community, need to step up and stand with the people of Pakistan. This appeal is the absolute minimum we need from the international community for life-saving assistance and services. The people of Pakistan deserve our support.”

Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lieutenant General Akhtar Nawaz gave a detailed briefing on the current humanitarian situation and efforts of the Government of Pakistan, supported by humanitarian partners in carrying out rescue and relief operations.

Xavier Castellanos Mosquera, Under-Secretary-General for National Society Development and Operations Coordination, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said, “IFRC is committed to assisting the affected communities in these unprecedented floods in Pakistan. Together with Pakistan Red Crescent, we have launched an initial emergency appeal through which we are seeking funds to assist 324,000 people in health, safe drinking water, emergency shelter, and livelihoods. The IFRC is working together with the Government of Pakistan and the UN agencies to have a coordinated response to ensure we reach the most vulnerable and affected populations, providing access to basic necessities to all”.

Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said “today, the international community – including my own agency – must help the people in need in Pakistan. We urgently need global support and solidarity for Pakistan”.

During the launch of the flash appeal, Canada, Azerbaijan and UK pledge $5m, $1.2m and £1.5m in aid, respectively; US announces $30m in humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have expressed their complete solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan over the human and financial losses in the recent floods that devastated huge parts of Pakistan.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong conveyed these special messages to President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif from the Chinese leadership. The Chinese leadership expressed their grief over the losses. President Xi, in a message to President Dr Arif Alvi, observed that severe floods had occurred recently in Pakistan, causing heavy casualties and serious property losses. President Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, and in his own name, expressed deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the bereaved families, the injured and the people in the affected areas. The Chinese envoy had apprised the Government of Pakistan of the decision of the Chinese leadership about the relief support. China had announced an assistance grant of RMB100 million (Yuan), besides the dispatch of 25,000 tents and other assistance items. The first batch of the relief aid containing 300 tents would be arriving in Karachi today. The Chinese ambassador would hand over these articles to the Pakistani authorities. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to the Chinese leadership and said that the Chinese leadership and the people of China had always supported the people of Pakistan with their generosity. “This flood is like no other in terms of its intensity & spread. China has been there for us at the most difficult times & we greatly value its support,” the prime minister posted in a tweet.

The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced an additional $30 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance to support people and communities affected by severe flooding in Pakistan. Pakistan’s government has declared the floods a national emergency, with 66 districts declared to be “calamity hit.”

The United States is deeply saddened by the devastating loss of life, livelihoods, and homes throughout Pakistan, US Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement. In response to the Pakistani government’s request for assistance, the United States will prioritize urgently needed food support, safe water, sanitation and hygiene improvements, financial help, and shelter assistance. This support will save lives and reduce suffering among the most vulnerable affected communities. The United States will continue to monitor the crisis in close coordination with local partners and Pakistani authorities. A USAID disaster management specialist arrived in Pakistan August 29 to assess the impact of the floods and intensify coordination with partners on response efforts.The United States remains steadfast in its support for affected communities throughout Pakistan. In addition to the $30 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance announced today, the United States also provided over $1.1 million in grants and project support earlier this month to ensure direct assistance reaches those communities most impacted and to help mitigate and prevent the effects of future floods. In a related development, UN chief Antonio Guterres will visit Pakistan next week in “solidarity” with victims of relentless monsoon rains, his spokesman said Tuesday. “With the tragic situation facing millions of men, women and children impacted by historic floods in Pakistan, the Secretary-General will travel to the country next week for a solidarity visit,” Stephane Dujarric told a news briefing. Guterres plans to arrive in the capital Islamabad on September 9, before travelling to “the areas most impacted by this unprecedented climate catastrophe,” Dujarric said. There he will meet displaced families and humanitarian agencies working on the ground.