Nuaman Ishfaq Mughal
Islamabad: USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman, as head of the United States delegation to the International Conference on Climate-Resilient Pakistan in Geneva, announced that the United States was pledging an additional $100 million to continue supporting Pakistan’s recovery efforts from the devastating 2022 floods. “This funding reinforces America’s commitment to the Pakistani people and addressing the climate crisis,” she said, adding that “when coupled with the $97 million in flood relief, disaster resilience, and food security assistance provided in 2022 and $4.8 million in financial support from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, this brings the total U.S. commitment to date to more than $200 million.”
This new $100 million pledge includes both new and redirected funding. USAID is providing $79.3 million to prioritize urgently needed support for agriculture and food security, health, economic growth, education, protection, and governance. This funding also includes $20.7 million in State Department resources that will provide humanitarian assistance to help flood-affected Afghan refugees and host communities in Pakistan, and assistance that will restore damaged justice sector infrastructure including courthouses, police stations, and training facilities.
The United States has a long history of standing with Pakistan when disaster strikes, helping Pakistanis recover from severe climate shocks, stave off disease, feed their families, and rebuild their lives. The United States always supported Pakistan in its efforts to create a more climate-resilient future for its people, including by retargeting its democracy programs to strengthen governance and promote climate resilience, particularly in the agriculture sector. The recent pledge is also part of our continued partnership of Pakistan and the United States.