“I’ve arrived in Pakistan to specific my deep solidarity with the Pakistani folks after the devastating floods right here. I enchantment for enormous help from the worldwide neighborhood as Pakistan responds to this local weather disaster,” he stated on Twitter earlier than daybreak.
Final week, the U.N. chief issued a stern warning in regards to the results of local weather change.
“Let’s cease sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet by local weather change,” he stated in a video message to a ceremony in Islamabad on the time. “Right now, it’s Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could possibly be your nation.”
Pakistan’s Info Minister Maryam Aurangzeb in a press release thanked the U.N. chief for visiting Pakistan at a time when, she stated, one-third of Pakistan is underwater. She stated she desires the go to to assist elevate the disaster for flood victims to the worldwide stage.
“The go to can even assist in realizing the results of the lethal results of local weather change,” stated, urging the worldwide neighborhood to step up efforts to assist poor nations affected by floods and pure disasters.
Aurangzeb stated Guterres will obtain a briefing from Pakistani officers about damages attributable to floods earlier than addressing a information convention together with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday.
Up to now, U.N. companies and a number of other nations have despatched almost 60 planeloads of assist, and authorities say the United Arab Emirates is among the most beneficiant contributors, because it has despatched to this point 26 flights carrying assist or flood victims. The US stated it would present $30 million in help to assist flood victims.
The floods have touched all of Pakistan and affected greater than 3.3 million folks. Heritages websites have additionally been broken, together with Mohenjo Daro, thought of one of many best-preserved historic city settlements in South Asia.
The ruins close to the Indus River have been found in 1922 and to this present day, thriller surrounds the disappearance of the civilization that dates again 4,500 years, coinciding with these of historic Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Mohenjo Daro is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, and the U.N. heritage company on Thursday introduced an emergency quantity of $350,000 to assist get better flood-damaged cultural heritage websites.
Guterres was acquired on his arrival by Deputy International Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and can meet with Prime Minister Sharif and different authorities and army officers on his go to.
Earlier than the U.N. chief’s arrival, Sharif instructed a visiting American diplomat that the world ought to step up its struggle in opposition to local weather change to keep away from extra lethal flooding. Derek Chollet, a senior State Division official, was visiting Islamabad to evaluate damages and prepare for assist.
In line with the federal government’s assertion, Chollet affirmed that the U.S. would stand by Pakistan within the wake of the floods and prolong assist to assist folks rebuild.
On Friday, the primary American planeload carrying assist will arrive in Pakistan, in line with Pakistan officers, who say Washington is establishing a humanitarian assist air bridge to ship much-needed for flood victims,
Since June, heavy rains and floods have added new burdens to cash-strapped Pakistan and highlighted the disproportionate impact of local weather change on impoverished populations. Specialists say Pakistan is liable for solely 0.4% of the world’s historic emissions blamed for local weather change. The U.S. is liable for 21.5%, China for 16.5% and the EU 15%.
The floods in Pakistan have additionally injured 12,722 folks, destroyed hundreds of kilometers of roads, toppled bridges and broken faculties and hospitals, in line with the Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Company.
