US announces USD 100 million for Pakistan’s flood recovery and reconstruction: Ned Price

Washington [US], January 10 (ANI): The United States has announced an additional USD 100 million for Pakistan to continue supporting its recovery efforts after the devastating floods last year, taking the total contribution to USD 200 million, US Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said.

Addressing a press briefing on Monday (local time), Ned Price said that new financial assistance will be used for flood protection and governance disease. He said that the funding includes surveillance, economic growth, clean energy, climate-smart agriculture, food security, and infrastructure reconstruction.

In addition, the funding includes humanitarian assistance to support flood relief and recovery efforts in refugee-hosting areas. “I’m pleased to share that today the United States announced an additional USD 100 million of recovery and reconstruction funding, bringing our total contribution to over USD 200 million,” Ned Price said.

Ned Price stressed that the US government has worked “closely” with Pakistan to provide financial assistance for flood response, food security, disaster preparedness, and capacity-building efforts.
He emphasised that Pakistan’s recovery and reconstruction will be a continuing process and the United States will continue to support Islamabad in its efforts to build a more “climate-resilient future.”

“The new USD 100 million in funding will be used for flood protection and governance disease. Surveillance, economic growth and clean energy, climate-smart agriculture, food security, and infrastructure reconstruction,” Ned Price said.
“The funding also includes humanitarian assistance to support flood relief and recovery efforts in refugee hosting areas, or flood-related assistance complements our broader efforts to form a US Pakistan green alliance that looks at the range of climate and resilience issues central to Pakistan’s reconstruction,” he added.

On January 9, Pakistan received more than USD 9 billion to help it recover from devastating floods at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan, Dawn reported.

The international conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan was co-hosted by the United Nations and the Pakistani government in Geneva. During the conference, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community to support Pakistan in rebuilding after devastating floods last year, Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sought massive support for Pakistan to help it recover from damage caused by floods that ravaged the country last year.