GENEVA: Floods stretching to the south have ravaged an area “the size of England”, said Zamir Akram, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, on Tuesday.
The reconstruction of the northern areas of Pakistan alone could cost 2.5 billion dollars, he added. Pakistan has received more immediate multilateral relief aid through the UN and direct bilateral aid totaling about 301 million dollar but the UN agencies have warned that funding for their 460 million dollar multilateral appeal, launched last week, is not coming in fast enough.
Just 35 per cent – 160 million – has been paid in so far, although the pace has accelerated in recent days. Pakistan hoped for “a greater international commitment”, said Akram, during a special session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, dismissing concerns of aid money being diverted by corruption and stating fears of Taliban influence as being exaggerated.
Akram also pointed out the huge longer term commitment needed to rebuild homes, roads, farming and secure river beds over five years, emphasizing on the massive effort required for reconstruction and rehabilitation. A full damage assessment is likely to take another week to 10 days to complete, however, there are more immediate relief needs including food, shelter, clean water and medicines for waterborne diseases. “So far there has not been an outbreak of cholera or any other disease as yet,” Akram said.
“Having said that, the danger of these kinds of diseases remains and that’s why there’s a need for speedy efforts to get control of this” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2010.
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