China pledges $100m more flood aid

BEIJING:

China is pledging an additional $100 million to continue supporting Pakistan’s recovery efforts from the devastating 2022 floods, announced Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).

Also, regarding the technical assistance, from 2023 to 2025, China plans to train 1,000 technical staff and officials focusing on disaster prevention and management, Luo said while attending the international conference on Climate-Resilient Pakistan in Geneva.

This funding reinforces China’s commitment to the Pakistani people and will help address the climate crisis. When coupled with the nearly $200 million in flood relief provided before from the Chinese government, this brings the total China commitment to date to nearly $300 million, China Economic Net (CEN) reported.

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“We have also carried out projects including smart hydrology, rehabilitation housing and mobile medical vehicles. We will continue to provide real-time weather and disaster early-warning service; We have provided a post-disaster assessment report after Chinese experts’ visit to the disaster sites in Pakistan. We will be happy to share the experience in reconstruction and engage with Pakistani officials in this regard; We are also considering setting up the South-Asia Disaster Relief Supplies Reserve", he pinpointed.

Officials from some 40 countries as well as private donors and international financial institutions attended the meeting in Geneva on January 9.