Pakistan PM thanks Biden for UN speech urging world for flood assist | Floods Information
In his speech on the United Nations Normal Meeting, the US president mentioned ‘a lot of Pakistan is underneath water … and wishes assist’.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan’s prime minister has thanked US President Joe Biden for his attraction to the worldwide neighborhood to assist the flood-ravaged South Asian nation.
In his speech on the United Nations Normal Meeting on Wednesday, Biden mentioned “a lot of Pakistan is underneath water … and wishes assist”.
“We don’t have a lot time left. Everyone knows we’re already residing in a local weather disaster,” the US chief mentioned as he introduced a $2.9bn fund for humanitarian and meals safety on the earth for this yr.
“Households are dealing with unattainable decisions, selecting which youngster to feed, and questioning whether or not they may survive. That is the human price of local weather change. And it’s rising, not lessening,” Biden mentioned.
Pakistan is dealing with certainly one of its worst humanitarian crises after document rains and melting glaciers brought on catastrophic floods there, affecting 33 million of its 220 million inhabitants.
The deluge has killed almost 1,600 folks thus far, together with greater than 300 who died of water-borne illnesses attributable to stagnant water. The UN has warned of a well being catastrophe looming within the worst-affected areas.
Biden’s remarks on the UNGA got here shortly after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the world to assist the nation in preventing the catastrophe.
“Thanks President Joe Biden for highlighting the plight of the flood victims in Pakistan and urging the world for a right away response, as my nation is dealing with the ravages of unprecedented floods,” Sharif posted on Twitter on Thursday.
“The calls of stranded ladies and youngsters for assist must be heeded.”
Officers in Pakistan, which is already straining underneath a monetary disaster, estimate the full loss attributable to the floods at $30bn.
Sharif, who’s in New York for the UNGA summit, on Wednesday met a number of world leaders on the sidelines to debate the aftermath of the floods. He’s anticipated to handle the UNGA session on Friday.
In his opening remarks on the UNGA on Tuesday, UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres, who visited Pakistan earlier this month, urged the worldwide leaders to think about “debt discount mechanisms” to assist Pakistan.
“These (mechanisms) might have saved lives and livelihoods in Pakistan, which is drowning not solely in floodwater but in addition in debt,” he mentioned.
Pakistan has to pay $1bn in worldwide bonds by December. Its finance minister earlier this week mentioned the fee would “completely” be met.
In a information briefing in Islamabad on Wednesday, Julien Harneis, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Pakistan, mentioned a “second catastrophe is looming in sight” in Pakistan, with well being, vitamin and water being crucial considerations.
“Rather a lot is being completed however way more is required. That is larger than us, the wants are colossal,” he mentioned, including that the UN is working with the Pakistani authorities to revise its preliminary attraction of $160m to assist the nation.
“Though the pledges have crossed $160m, we now realise that the unique attraction was not ample. We’re working with the federal government to revise the attraction within the coming weeks contemplating the altering and rising wants,” he mentioned.
Hollywood actress and activist Angelina Jolie, who represents the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Refugees, additionally visited the flood-hit areas in Pakistan’s Sindh province this week.
“I’ve by no means seen something like this,” the 47-year-old actress mentioned throughout a gathering at Pakistan’s Nationwide Flood Response and Coordination Centre on Wednesday. “This can be a actual wake-up name to the world. Local weather change is just not solely actual, but in addition very a lot right here.”