Japan approves $18.5m grant for flood management project in Pakistan

Japan has committed an $18.5 million grant to support Pakistan’s flood management initiatives, aimed at enhancing flood forecasting accuracy and reducing disaster risks.

The grant will be executed through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the project "Flood Management Enhancement in the Indus Basin."

A formal signing ceremony took place in Islamabad on Wednesday, with Secretary of Economic Affairs Dr Kazim Niaz and Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Wada Mitsuhiro signing on behalf of their respective governments.

The project’s scope includes establishing a hydrological and hydraulic observation network and rehabilitating river structures damaged during the 2022 floods in the Indus River basin and its tributaries. Japan's support will also aid in capacity building for Pakistan’s flood management institutions.

“The project will help accumulate essential data that contributes to disaster risk reduction,” said a statement from the Japanese government. This initiative aims to safeguard human lives, infrastructure, and the economy from future flood impacts.