Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will place a comprehensive post-disaster framework strategy for recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction before friendly countries and development partners at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan scheduled in Geneva tomorrow (January 9).
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will co-host the conference along with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Before leaving for Geneva, the prime minister said in a statement, “Bridging the funding gap is key to restoring critical infrastructure, rebuilding lives and livelihoods and reviving the economy.”
PM Shehbaz said that millions of Pakistanis, affected by unprecedented devastating floods, looked for solidarity and compassion to build back better.
“Humanity is at the core of the history of the world. Our actions today will form the resilient future for our coming generations, PM Shehbaz posted on his Twitter handle.
International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan
The prime minister said he would take the opportunity to present the case of Pakistani flood victims before the world. “I will also put light on steps my government has taken for relief and rehabilitation,” he further posted.
In Pakistan, record monsoon rains and melting glaciers last displaced nearly 8 million people and killed at least 1,700 people in a catastrophe blamed on climate change.
Most of the waters have now receded; however, the reconstruction work, estimated at around 16.3 billion US dollars, to rebuild thousands of kilometres of roads and railway and millions of homes is just beginning, and millions more people may slide into poverty.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will present the recovery framework at the conference, where United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron will also speak.
Antonio Guterres, who visited Pakistan in September, has previously termed the destruction in Pakistan as “climate carnage”.
“This is a pivotal moment for the world community to stand with Pakistan and to commit to a resilient and inclusive recovery from these devastating floods,” said Knut Ostby, United Nations Development Programme’s Pakistan Representative.
PM Shehbaz on Sunday departed for Geneva along with a high-level delegation to co-chair the conference along with UN Secretary.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marryium Aurangzeb accompanied Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
During the conference, Pakistan will emphasize the need for global support and long-term partnership to implement the framework plan.
In the inaugural high-level opening session, the official document would be unveiled for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-affected areas of the country and feature partner support announcements.
PM Shehbaz and the UN secretary-general will also hold a joint press conference.
Leaders and high-level representatives from various countries and international financial institutions, foundations, and funds are expected to attend the conference in person and in virtual format.
The international conference will bring together governments, leaders from the public and private sectors, and civil society to support Pakistan’s people and the government.
The reconstruction framework to be presented before the conference will lay out a multisectoral strategy for rehabilitation and reconstruction in a climate-resilient and inclusive manner.
Secondly, Pakistan will secure international support and forge long-term partnerships for building Pakistan’s climate resilience and adaptation.
