Last Updated on: 14th July 2023, 12:54 pm
IMF Will Work With The International Community To Provide Assistance To Flood-Stricken Pakistan
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Sunday it would work with the international community to support Pakistan’s relief and reconstruction efforts after the devastating floods.
“We will work with other members of the international community to support, through the current program, the relief and reconstruction efforts of the authorities, and in particular their continued efforts to assist those affected by the floods while ensuring sustainable policies and macroeconomic stability,” said the IMF resident. The representative in Islamabad, Esther Pérez Ruiz, said in a statement.
“The IMF is deeply saddened by the devastating effects of the floods in Pakistan,” the statement added.
The floods affected more than 33 million people. According to the latest data released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), around 81 districts in Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been hit with more than 1,500 dead since March 14.
As a result of the recent floods, 6,675 kilometers of roads, 269 bridges, and more than 1.7 million homes were partially or totally damaged. 750,223 cattle were lost and more than 8.3 million hectares of crops were affected.
The WHO Warns Of A Second Catastrophe
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed concern over the possibility of a second disaster in Pakistan due to the spread of disease in flood-hit areas of the country.
In a statement, the WHO chief said water supplies were being cut, forcing people to drink unsafe water that could spread cholera and other diarrheal diseases. He urged donors to continue to respond “generously” so lives can be saved.
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Flood Damage Could Reach $40 Billion
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who heads the National Flood Response Coordination Center (NFRCC), recently said the extent of the flood damage could exceed $40 billion.
The National Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee was told on Friday that the government would be in touch with the IMF and bilateral and multilateral donors once the flood damage investigation was completed.
The IMF’s Executive Board last month completed the combined seventh and eighth reviews of Pakistan’s enhanced EFF arrangement, allowing for an immediate disbursement of about $1.1 billion.
Also Read: IMF Silent On Floods, But Can Pakistan Expect Favors?