Last Update: January 05, 2023, 16:17 IST
Record-breaking floods – which experts say were worsened by climate change – killed 1,735 people across Pakistan and displaced 33 million (Reuters Photo)
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the day-long conference would be based on a UN-backed assessment that indicates Pakistan has suffered losses of more than $30 billion.
Pakistan is expected to receive $16.3 billion in aid from the international community to rebuild millions of climate-induced flood victims in Geneva next week, officials said on Thursday, along with the United Nations.
Monday’s conference, jointly organized by the world body and Pakistan, aims to raise recovery funds after last summer’s unprecedented floods that killed 1,739 people and affected 33 million Pakistanis. At one point, one-third of the country’s area was under water. Experts said the disaster was partly caused by climate change. The United Nations in Pakistan has said that existing international aid will end on January 15.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the day-long conference would be based on a UN-backed assessment that indicates Pakistan has suffered losses of more than $30 billion.
He described the document as one of the strategy and priorities that “will guide the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction following the recent devastating floods.”
The latest development comes a day after UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would attend Monday’s conference. He told reporters that Guterres would seek “support to strengthen the resilience of communities in Pakistan for the future.” Later, Sharif and Guterres will hold a press conference, he said.
The summit, titled “International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan”, is taking place after UN officials warned that funds raised so far for Pakistan’s flood victims would run out this month. He said the world body has received only one-third so far. Of the $816 million in emergency assistance requested last October for food, medicines and other supplies.
Pakistani officials say the Islamic nation has a negligible role in global warming but is still vulnerable to climate-induced catastrophes.
According to officials, Pakistan emits less than 1% of the heat-trapping carbon dioxide. Even before the onset of heavy monsoon rains in mid-June, cash-strapped Pakistan was facing a severe financial crisis. Officials said that without international aid, Pakistan would not be able to rebuild destroyed homes and infrastructure.
The conference is taking place at a time when Pakistan is trying to avoid the risk of default amid its dwindling reserves and rising inflation. This forced the country to comply with IMF requirements to receive loans from the $6 billion bailout Islamabad received in 2019.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)