Pakistan still in state of emergency after floods: UN

Envoy says only 39% of essential early recovery projects are funded.

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations (UN) on Thursday said that Pakistan is still in emergency mode six months after floods ravaged the country, and that $1 billion was still needed to help the 20 million affected people.

The UN launched a $2 billion flood relief appeal in September but still requires nearly half that amount, in particular to help farmers return to work after waters submurged fields and devastated harvests.

“The emergency in Pakistan is not over and a lot of work still needs to be done,” Rauf Engin Soysal, the UN’s special envoy for assistance to Pakistan, told a press conference in Islamabad.

“The humanitarian community is in close cooperation with the federal, provincial and district authorities in continuing its tireless efforts to help people in need in Pakistan,” he added.

So far 56.3 per cent, or $1.1 billion, of the appeal fund has been met, but only 39 per cent of essential early recovery projects are funded, Soysal said.

“More than half of the flood response plan is now covered, but we are hoping to raise the remaining one billion dollars which is urgently needed,” the envoy added.

Catastrophic monsoon rains that swept through the country in July and August affected 20 million people, destroyed 1.7 million homes and damaged 5.4 million acres of arable land.

The UN said that about seven million people are still living on monthly food rations. Reviving agriculture, providing shelter and education facilities and finding employment opportunities for flood victims continue to present difficult challenges, it said.

“We are helping farmers in recovering their land by providing them with seeds, fertilisers and tools to accelerate the rehabilitation process,” Soysal said, adding that food aid will continue to be provided while there is a need.

UN also announced yesterday (Thursday) that the government of Pakistan would like to see a time table for relief activities and operations being implemented. The UN agencies need to continue and successfully complete the early recovery phase by the end of July this year. However, lack of funding remains a great concern of UN as it might halt certain operations or even lead to slashing of essential items from the food basket.

A WFP representative said that the “situation in Sindh and Balochistan is critical and needs to be addressed”.  Chris Lom from IOM said, “Its not only UN but national and international NGOs that need money. If additional funding does not come in then half a million will suffer.”

Kilian Kleinschmidt from UNHCR said, “Although operations were carried out at on a massive scale but we did not meet international standards anywhere. Attention needs to be diverted towards Balochistan.” AFP with additional reporting by Maha Mussadaq

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th,  2011.