ISLAMABAD: The United States, through USAID, Tuesday (30th of August, 2022) announced an additional $30 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance to support people and communities affected by severe flooding in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s government has declared the floods a national emergency, with 66 districts declared to be calamity hit.
The United States maintained that it was deeply saddened by the devastating loss of life, livelihoods, and homes throughout Pakistan.
In response to the Pakistani government’s request for assistance, the United States will prioritize urgently needed food support, safe water, sanitation and hygiene improvements, financial help, and shelter assistance.
This support will save lives and reduce suffering among the most vulnerable affected communities.
The United States will continue to monitor the crisis in close coordination with local partners and Pakistani authorities.
It is pertinent to mention here that a USAID disaster management specialist arrived in Pakistan 29th day of August to assess the impact of the floods and intensify coordination with partners on response efforts.
PS: It may be noted that in addition to the $30 million in urgently needed humanitarian assistance announced on 30th of August, the United States also provided over $1.1 million in grants and project support earlier this August to ensure direct assistance reaches those communities most impacted and to help mitigate and prevent the effects of future floods.
On 12th of August the US government had announced on a new $1 million grant in support of Pakistan’s ability to address natural disasters, such as the ongoing flooding.
Funded by the USAID this humanitarian assistance will build the resilience of agricultural communities in Sindh Province, and support Pakistan’s disaster management authorities in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan provinces to better respond to future disasters.
US Ambassador Donald Blome stated: “The people of America stand with the people of Pakistan during this challenging time. Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones in the floods across Pakistan and who are also dealing with recovery efforts.
“We are proud to help build the resilience of Sindh communities so they are better able to face such disasters in the future. We remain committed to helping Pakistan recover and rebuild as quickly as possible.”
Acknowledging the continuing US-Pakistan partnership, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said: “The American people have always stood with the people of Pakistan during the challenging times in the past, and now, when torrential rains have wreaked havoc in several parts of Sindh province.
“The people of Sindh, and in particular the people of Pakistan, are highly grateful for the United States Government’s announcement of this $1 million grant to bolster Pakistan’s ability to address natural disasters.”
The United States and Pakistan have worked together for 75 years on issues that are important to both nations, including energy, economic growth, peace and inclusion, education, and health.
Since 2002, the U.S. government has provided over $32 billion of support to foster a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous Pakistan. Pak-US Bilateral trade reached nearly $9 billion in 2021.
The United States is Pakistan’s largest single country export market and one of the largest sources of foreign investment, with US direct investment growing by 50 percent in the past year.
US companies and their local affiliates are among Pakistan’s largest employers, with roughly 80 US companies directly employing more than 125,000 Pakistanis, and more than one million Pakistanis employed indirectly.
In 2021, US firms invested up to $5.7 million in corporate social responsibility initiatives in Pakistan.
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