Minister Power calls on international community to wake up to scale of Pakistan flood disaster

Today at the United Nations, the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, T.D., announced further humanitarian funding of €1.19 million in response to the on-going flooding crisis in Pakistan. The Minister also called on the international community to wake up to the scale of the disaster and give the crisis the urgency and response it deserves.

Speaking on behalf of the Government at an Emergency Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the floods crisis, Minister Power said:

“Ireland’s response has been among the swiftest and most effective to this humanitarian crisis. Our priority is to ensure that those in greatest need on the ground in Pakistan receive assistance as soon as possible. We made funding available immediately following the onset of the crisis and increased our response as the scale of the disaster became apparent. I urge other countries to do all they can to contribute to the international response.

Today, I am announcing further humanitarian funding of €1.19 million in response to the situation. This brings Ireland’s contribution in response to the crisis to date to €2 million. This funding will be used to further assist our UN and aid agency partners in expanding their response to meet the enormous needs.

Flooding continues in Pakistan and the lives of millions, particularly the most vulnerable like children, remain in jeopardy. We need to ensure that sufficient resources are provided by the international community to get aid to those in the greatest need.”

Today’s meeting, which took place on World Humanitarian Day, discussed the global efforts which are underway to provide a comprehensive international response to the ongoing humanitarian needs in Pakistan

Minister Power continued:

“ It is particularly appropriate that today’s meeting is taking place on World Humanitarian Day which commemorates the sacrifices of humanitarian workers who give so much, sometimes even their lives, to help vulnerable people across the world. World Humanitarian Day is a reminder to us to redouble our own efforts to deliver the most effective response to humanitarian emergencies.

The floods in Pakistan are the greatest humanitarian challenge facing the world today but we should not forget that there are many other humanitarian crises which need our attention. ”