Press Releases 2008
U.S. Provides $ 4.3 Million for Pakistanis Uprooted by Flood and Conflict
December 19, 2008
Islamabad - The Government of the United States of America has donated US$4.3 million to the UN refugee agency to assist Pakistanis displaced by floods and conflict in the north-west - a welcome contribution to the ongoing UN relief effort.
The US contribution is a response to the $55 million UN Consolidated Appeal for "Pakistan: Humanitarian Response Plan" to assist the affected internally displaced people (IDPs) launched in September 2008. UNHCR received the US contribution in Geneva from the US Permanent Mission through the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM).
"The people and the Government of US want an early end to the miseries of thousands of displaced people who reside with their relatives and in IDP camps in Peshawar and other parts of NWFP," said Ms. Anne W. Patterson, the US Ambassador in Islamabad.
"We know that being homeless is very painful. The US contribution to the humanitarian activities is an effort to ease the miseries of many women, children and men who have lost their homes because of the recent events."
UNHCR, with other UN agencies and provincial authorities, is assisting IDP families in Kacha Gari and Jalozai - formerly hosting Afghan refugees - and other IDP camps. It has recently started to move families from spontaneous settlements into organized camps.
"We welcome the US aid to assist thousands of people who were affected by the recent events in Pakistan. This is one of the largest cash contributions that UNHCR has received so far from any state to help the uprooted people in IDP camps and with host families," said Ms. Guenet Guebre-Christos, the UNHCR Representative in Pakistan.
"UNHCR requires $17 million to assist the people with winterized shelter, relief supplies, documentation, site planning and proper provision of basic services," informed Ms. Guebre-Christos.
Working with the NWFP authorities, UNHCR has so far registered some over 40,000 people in IDP camps and over 90,000 living in rented accommodation or with host families. In addition to the latest US donation, UNHCR had earlier received some $9 million from the governments of Japan, Sweden, UK, Canada, Netherlands and France.