Flood relief has already cost $4 billion.
ISLAMABAD:
On Thursday, Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development was informed that the country had so far received financial aid from abroad totaling more than $4 billion to fund flood relief efforts.
According to representatives from the Economic Affairs Division, out of the overall financial aid, international development partners provided $3.64 billion in loans and $435.03 million in grants.
The gathering was informed that the governments and development partners have sent aid in kind for the flood victims.
Senator Dost Muhammad Khan, Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Saadia Abbasi, Hidayat Ullah, Tahir Bazinjo, and Senators Nuzhat Sadiq and Attaur Rehman were present at the committee meeting, which was presided over by Senator Attaur Rehman.
The meeting was informed that the World Bank had granted a loan worth $1.78 billion out of the entire loan amount, while the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had provided a loan worth $559 million.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank also provided a loan of $500 million.
In the meeting, it was brought up that the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) granted a grant of $700,000 and the ADB extended a grant of $8.28 million out of the overall amount.
The UN announced a $160.3 million flash appeal on August 30, 2022, in conjunction with the government of Pakistan; as of September 15, 2022, $148 million of that amount had been offered by humanitarian pledges.
However, the new plea now urgently requests $816 million to meet the people’s escalating need for life-saving assistance, an increase of $656 million from the original $160 million request.
The UN agencies WHO, UNFPA, and FAO contributed $3.06 million in funding, and China contributed $112.33 million for the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction in flood-affected areas.
The United States donated more than $95 million in financial support, and Japan contributed $7 million.
Additionally, it was disclosed during the meeting that grants worth $4.22 million, $3.48 million, $19.57 million, $62.52 million, and $30.67 million, respectively, had been extended by Canada, Australia, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).
The representatives reported to the meeting that grants totaling $62.5 million, $58.87 million, $0.99 million, $1.05 million, $1.95 million, $0.5 million, $8.6 million, $2.1 million, $2 million, and $4.86 million, respectively, had been extended by the UK (FCDO), Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, Azerbaijan, and South Korea.
Senator Saadia requested that the authorities maintain openness in the use of the monies and that the committee receive the status report in two months.
The representative informed the committee that the Ministry of Economic Affairs is responsible for coordinating, negotiating, and setting up international aid.
The task of the province administrations, PDMAs, and NDMA is to allocate foreign aid and support to each district.
It was made clear that the World Bank itself was keeping an eye on the entire process and that private specialists were advised to oversee it.
The Mohmand Dam’s recent flooding and storm damage were other topics of discussion at the summit.
In order to raise money for flood prevention and relief efforts, to improve the food situation in flood-affected areas, and to ensure climate-resilient recovery and reconstruction, preparations for the Donors Conference have reached their final phases.
To work with development partners, a steering committee for the coordination of international assistance for flood relief activities was established.
Under the leadership of Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the steering group for coordination’s sixth meeting was conducted at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Chris Kaye, the country director for the World Food Program, gave the steering committee an update on the food situation and pleaded with the development partners to offer humanitarian aid.
