International donors moot to seek over $16bn for rehab of flood victims

ISLAMABAD: The International Donors Conference scheduled to be held in Geneva on January 9, 2023 will seek over $16 billion in assistance for construction in the flood-affected areas in Pakistan.

A high-powered delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and comprising Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Minster for Planning Ahsan Iqbal and the four chief ministers would participate in the conference. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar chaired an inter-ministerial meeting on the donors conference at the Finance Division on Thursday.

Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik, SAPM on Finance Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, secretary finance, secretary MoFA, secretary Climate Change, secretary Planning Division, secretary Economic Affairs Division, secretary Information and Broadcasting and other senior officers from the concerned ministries participated in the meeting.

The meeting discussed the proposed plan for the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan to be held on January 9, 2023 in Geneva. The conference co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations aims to garner international support for the people and government of Pakistan to build back climate-resilient Pakistan after the devastating floods of 2022. It will also secure international humanitarian support for reconstruction and rehabilitation arrangements for the post-flood recovery.

The secretary MoFA gave a detailed presentation on draft agenda of the proposed conference with modalities, invitees, potential donors and schedule of the conference. It was informed that the heads of states and governments from a number of countries, UN agencies as well as leaders from private sector, civil society, and international development and financial institutions will participate in the conference.

In addition, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will speak at the high-level opening segment.

The participants suggested re-articulation and reconsideration of some agendas with modifications to make the conference more participatory and meaningful and to present strong case for Pakistan at the international forum. All the participants agreed to extend all-out support to make the conference successful.