Saudi Arabia leads in donor commitments

“The NDMA will provide logistic support for better distribution of relief goods," NDMA spokesperson Ahmad Kamal said.

ISLAMABAD: As the water level in flood-stricken areas begins to recede, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has chalked out a strategy to meet enormous logistic challenges posed by the destroyed infrastructure that left many areas inaccessible.

“The NDMA will provide logistic support for better distribution of relief goods to millions of flood victims in the shortest possible time,” said NDMA spokesperson Ahmad Kamal.

“Relief goods, manpower, trucks, helicopters and boats are required to accelerate the process sending food items to victims. “The authority is again appealing to foreign donors to release their promised support as soon as possible to assist the victims,” he said.

Kamal called for logistic support for quick provision of relief goods in the flood-hit areas. The logistic facilities will also be a part of the total commitment of foreign assistance.

“An amount of $953.65 million has been committed in the shape of foreign assistance by 63 countries,” he said and added that “$673.13 million will come through UN/NGOs and $273 million through the Pakistan government.”

Meanwhile, according to the figures provided by the NDMA, Saudi Arabia topped the list of donor countries with a commitment of $229 million while the United States pledged $200 million.

“The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) provided $10 million soft loans to Pakistan,” the document further said.

The document further says that the Asian Development Bank donated $3million, Australia $31.20 million, Bangladesh $2 million, Belgium $2.54 million, Brazil, $0.5 million, Canada, $33million, China, $9 million, Czech Republic, $0.20 million, Denmark, $12 million, Egypt $0.25 million, Estonia,  $0.08 million, European Union, $89 million, Finland, $5.67 million, France, $1.34 million, Germany, $37.50 million, Greece, $0.12 million, Hungary, $0.05 million, India, $5 million, Indonesia, $1 million, Iran, $1.20 million, Ireland, $1 million, Italy, $5.12 million, Japan, $14.40 million, Korea, $1 million, Korean Private donations, $1 million, Kuwait, $10 million, Kuwait Joint Relief Committee, $0.35 million, Luxemburg, $0.64 million, Malaysia, $1 million, Mauritius, $0.30 million, Morocco, $2 million, Nepal, $0.13 million, Netherlands, $8.39 million, New Zealand, $2.80 million, Norway, $19 million, Oman, $5 million, OPEC Fund, $0.50 million, Poland, $0.06 million, Qatar, $0.40 million, Russia, $1 million, Saudi Arabia, $105.29 million, Saudi Fund for Development, $14.70 million, Saudi Public Relief Fund, $107.27 million and SCOMI Malaysia, $0.02 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2010.