Thank you very much, Mr. President. And thank you, Ambassador Akram, for the very compelling picture you painted for all of us this morning. It certainly touches us all. I have had the occasion to visit your beautiful country and I can only imagine what a devastating moment this is. Our sympathies are with you.
The United States stands with the people of Pakistan affected by the severe flooding. We are deeply saddened by the massive scope of this disaster—nearly eight million people displaced, two million homes destroyed, and millions of acres of crops washed away. The loss of loved ones, livelihoods, homes, hospitals, and critical infrastructure throughout Pakistan is tragic. And as always, women and girls have been most acutely affected.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power saw this devastation firsthand when she traveled to Pakistan last month, and she visited flood-affected areas and discussed efforts to help those most impacted. Administrator Power met with the Secretary-General and Prime Minister Sharif to discuss the international response and ways for the global community to provide timely and essential support.
According to the UN’s funding appeal, a total of $816 million is now needed to ensure food security, respond to potential outbreaks of disease, and provide protection and livelihoods. This total is over five times greater than OCHA’s initial appeal and reflects the devastating impacts of this tragedy.
The U.S. Government has provided more than $67 million in flood relief and humanitarian assistance support this year. This funding is providing food, drinking water, nutrition, sanitation, shelter, and other aid to millions in need. We are also supporting logistics and coordination efforts in close collaboration with the Government of Pakistan to ensure that humanitarian organizations can rapidly scale up programming and provide unimpeded assistance to those in need. We urge other Member States to do the same.
The United States is proud to co-sponsor the resolution adopted today. We support the resolution’s longer-term focus on building resilience through climate mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction efforts.
Incorporating disaster risk reduction into humanitarian and development assistance strengthens the ability of people and governments to cope during crises, can protect economic and development gains, and helps secure progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
The climate crisis we face is profound and the consequences of inaction would be cataclysmic. Mr. President, as you said, we must search for solutions here every day. As we look to COP27,
let us keep in mind that climate change has no borders, and we must address its devastating impacts.
Thank you.
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