‘Pakistan is a double victim’: UN chief urges support for flood recovery

NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and representatives of key nations reaffirmed support for Pakistan as it pushes ahead with the massive task of rebuilding following last year’s “apocalyptic” flood that submerged a third of the country.

The occasion was an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly convened to review the implementation of its last year’s resolution calling on the world community to increase aid and keep up the political will to support the country’s recovery long-term.

The resolution also expressed solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan in dealing with the aftermath of the devastation left behind by the climate-induced deluge.

“We are here for the people of Pakistan,” the UN chief, who saw the huge damage for himself during a visit to the flood-hit country in August 2022, said in his keynote speech to the delegates in the UN’s Trusteeship Council chamber.

“I will never forget the climate-related carnage I saw. Lives, homes, livelihoods, schools, hospitals ­ all obliterated,” Guterres said. “Billions were pledged” by rich nations in the aftermath of the disaster, he said “but the vast majority was in loans. And Pakistan is still waiting for much of the funding.”

“Delays are undermining people’s efforts to rebuild their lives,” the UN chief said, Some $9 billion was pledged to help reconstruct Pakistan in January, though it is still reeling from the effects of the heavy monsoon rains”.

“While much of the water has receded, the needs have not,” he said. “When the floods hit Pakistanis were first to help each other,” Guterres said, adding that the United Nations stood with them.”

He said that as of now 69 percent of the $816 million UN appeal for immediate aid and protection has been funded, the amount sought for Pakistan’s Floods Response Plan.

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram said the UN chief was with the people of Pakistan all the way visiting those affected, issuing an emergency appeal, mobilizing relief, and then working with Pakistan and other development partners.

The partners included the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union, UNDP and the Resident Coordinator to develop a Post-Disaster National Assessment and then the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Framework (the 4RF Plan).

Ambassador Akram said Pakistan,is grateful for the solidarity and support displayed by the international community. OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) Emergency Response Fund was critical in the early stages of the disaster.

Noting that OCHA’s Flood Response Plan has received $563 million, or 69 percent, of the $816 million requested, the Pakistani envoy hoped it would be fully funded.

The projects worth $16.3 billion in the 4RF Plan which received funding pledges at the Geneva Conference were for the reconstruction of the direct damage caused by the epic floods.

The 4RF also contained a supplementary component of projects to induct “resilience” into the reconstruction, especially in water and irrigation and road and rail transportation, costing t $13.5 billion.

READ MORE: Flood in Pakistan: Houses submerged, crops destroyed in Punjab

In his remarks, the UN chief said how the world responds now to Pakistan’s struggles is a “litmus test” for climate justice. “Pakistan needs and deserves massive support from the international community,” he said.

Despite contributing less than one pervent of global emissions, Pakistan’s people face a staggering 15 times higher risk of dying from climate-related impacts.

“Pakistan is a double victim ­ of climate chaos, and of our outdated and unjust global financial system that prevents middle-income countries from accessing much-needed resources to invest in adaptation and resilience,” he stressed.

According to UNICEF, around eight million people (half of them children) in flood-affected areas, remain without access to safe water, 3.5 million children remain out of school, and about 1.5 million require lifesaving nutrition assistance.

“The situation facing many people in flood-affected areas is dire, and it comes on top of other pre-existing problems and inequities,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “But the challenges are not insurmountable … we have a real opportunity to drive lasting positive change for Pakistan’s children.”

Guterres also reiterated his warning that climate chaos is knocking on everyone’s door, adding that today it’s beating that door down, from the Horn of Africa to Canada. “Carbon emissions are heating our planet, killing people, destroying communities and devastating economies,” he said.

The international system must support vulnerable countries, the secretary-general said, and called for operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund and replenishing the Green Climate Fund. The UN chief also called for delivering the $100 billion and double climate finance for adaptation and resilience.