Oct 4(ABC): The European Union Tuesday announced additional 30 million euros in humanitarian aid for Pakistan as the cash-strapped nation looks for funding from the international community to cushion the devastating impact of the floods.
The announcement comes during EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič’s visit to Pakistan following the unprecedented flooding emergency that resulted in a rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
This new funding — which comes after the initial 2.35 million euros — aims to address urgent needs such as shelter, water and sanitation, food and nutrition, health, protection, education in emergencies and cash assistance — focusing on the most affected areas of the country.
In a statement, Commissioner Lenarčič said the funding reaffirms the EU’s continued support to Pakistan and stands by the most vulnerable to help them fulfil basic needs.
“People in Pakistan are suffering the devastating consequences of an unprecedented flooding emergency. Once again, however, nature reminded us of the impact of global warming,” the diplomat said.
Since the start of heavy precipitations in mid-June 2022, the National Disaster Management Authority of Pakistan reported the death of over 1,600 people and over 12,800 people injured, and a staggering estimated total of more than 33 million people affected by the emergency and almost 8 million people displaced.
The most-affected districts are located in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where floods caused widespread displacement, economic losses and other damages.
The United Nations has also revised the humanitarian appeal made by Pakistan five-fold to $816 million from $160 million as it seeks to control a surge in water-borne diseases following the floods.
“We are now entering the second wave of death and destruction” Julien Harneis, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan said at a Geneva briefing.
“There will be an increase in child morbidity and it will be pretty terrible unless we act rapidly to support the government in increasing the provision of health, nutrition, and water and sanitation services across the affected areas,” he said.
Washington last Friday rolled over an agreement to suspend service payments on $132 million of Pakistan’s debt, the US embassy in Islamabad said.
Islamabad also sought a rollover of $2 billion in Chinese deposits to its reserves, said a statement from Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s office after his meeting with Chinese envoy Nong Rong.