UN calls for help to Pakistan
2023.01.09 07:02
UN calls for help to Pakistan
By Kristina Sobol
Budrigannews.com – On Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that Pakistan had been the victim of climate chaos and the global financial system, and he urged massive support for a $16 billion reconstruction effort.
In what is expected to be a major test case for who pays for climate disasters, officials from 40 countries, private donors, and international financial institutions are meeting in Geneva to support Islamabad.
At least 1,700 people died in the floods that occurred last year as a result of record monsoon rains and melting glaciers, and approximately 8 million people were displaced. The water is still going down.
In his opening remarks, Guterres referred to the floods as “a climate disaster of monumental scale” and stated, “We must match the heroic response of the people of Pakistan with our own efforts and massive investments to strengthen their communities for the future.”
He went on to say, “Pakistan is doubly victimized by climate chaos and a morally bankrupt global financial system,” and he urged developing nations to come up with innovative means of obtaining debt relief and financing.
Pakistan needs more money because there are growing worries about whether or not it can pay for food and energy imports and fulfill its obligations to pay off its sovereign debt. On the sidelines of the meeting in Geneva, the finance minister of Pakistan will meet with a delegation from the International Monetary Fund.
Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, stated that the country required $8 billion over the next three years and called for a new “coalition of the willing.” Rest will be provided by Islamabad.
He told the meeting, “I am asking for a new lifeline for people who need to power our economy and re-enter the 21st century with a future protected from such extreme risks to human security.”
Despite the fact that U.N. data indicate that the initial emergency phase of the disaster response is only partially funded, significant concerns remain regarding the source of the remaining funding.
At COP27 in Egypt, Pakistan was at the forefront of efforts that resulted in the establishment of a “loss and damage” fund to cover damage caused by climate change. However, it is not yet clear whether Pakistan will be eligible for this fund.
Emmanuel Macron, president of France, said in a video message that Paris would help Pakistan negotiate with its creditors and pledged $10 million in additional aid.
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Achim Steiner, the Administrator of the Development Programme at the United Nations, stated that the subsequent phase of Pakistan’s response was a “monumental moment of reckoning for the entire world.”
