UNGA adopts resolution to boost aid, support reconstruction for flood-hit Pakistan

NEW YORK: UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that expressed full solidarity with the flood-hit Pakistan and urged the world community to scale up its humanitarian assistance and support rehabilitation and reconstruction in the areas devastated by climate-induced monsoon rains.

The 193-member Assembly adopted the Pakistan-sponsored resolution by consensus. The resolution was co-sponsored by 159 countries from all regions of the world.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram introduced the resolution sayin, “Countries, like Pakistan, which confront such climate-induced disasters should not be left to fend for themselves, dependent on the generosity and charity of friends”.

The Pakistani envoy drew attention to the havoc wrought by the raging flood waters and called for international support to help Pakistan cope with the calamity.

“We must construct mechanisms that can enable climate-struck countries to access resources to mitigate the impacts of the ever more frequent and more intense climate disasters and to recover quickly from such disasters,” the Pakistani envoy said.

He thanked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his visit to Pakistan to personally convey his solidarity, meet the victims, consult the country’s leadership and call for massive assistance.

‘Climate Carnage’

In a passionate speech, the UN chief said the people of Pakistan are the “victims of a grim calculus of climate injustice.” Guterres said Pakistan was responsible for less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it was paying a supersized price for man-made climate change.

He warned Pakistan was on the verge of a public health disaster, saying the risk of a cholera outbreak, malaria and dengue fever threatened to claim far more lives than the floods.

The UN chief described what he saw in the flood-devastated Pakistan, “A level of climate carnage beyond imagination: flood waters covering a landmass three times the total area of my own country, Portugal.”

“Many have lost everything – their homes, their livestock, their crops, their futures. Lives were washed away. The most vulnerable of the vulnerable – children – accounted for fully one-third of all deaths and injuries.

“While the rains may have ceased and water is beginning to recede, many areas in the south of Pakistan remain inundated. And as winter approaches in Pakistan, even darker clouds loom. The situation is going from bad to worse?

Guterres added he saw the best of humanity when he visited Pakistan. “I saw the immense generosity and solidarity of neighbours and strangers helping one another. I saw people who put themselves at risk and lost all their worldly possessions to rescue others. I saw people providing what little that they had to share with a person in need.

“But I also saw the future we might face. Today, it is Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country and your communities. Climate chaos is knocking on everyone’s door, right now. We must step up and answer the call for the people of Pakistan. This global crisis demands global solidarity and a global response.”

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UN resolution 

The UN General Assembly stressed the need for continued cooperation between Pakistani government and the relevant organizations throughout the ongoing relief operations, and rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

Emphasizing adaptive capacity, the resolution urges strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather events.

It calls for full support and assistance to the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to mitigate the adverse impacts of the floods and to meet the medium- and long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction needs.

The resolution also calls on the international community to “scale up its humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation of Pakistan, in order to repair and strengthen the country’s prospects for achieving sustainable development and encourages member states, the United Nations and humanitarian organizations to continue to work together to address the different needs of affected populations, particularly the most vulnerable”.

It “emphasizes the need for the international community to maintain its focus beyond the present emergency relief, in order to sustain the political will to support the medium- and long-term rehabilitation, reconstruction and risk reduction efforts as well as adaptation plan led by the Government of Pakistan at all levels.”

It welcomed the proposed convening of a Pledging Conference to generate assistance for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction phases in the disaster-stricken areas.

In his opening statement, the President of the Assembly’s 77th session, Csaba Korosi, said he stood with Pakistan in the critical hour of need, and urged the international community to help the flood-devastated country.