UN Seeks $2 Billion For Pakistan Flood Aid

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The United Nations is asking the world's governments and humanitarian groups to donate $2 billion to help the millions of victims of Pakistan's floods.

The appeal is being described as the biggest single request for disaster-recovery aid ever.

Previously, the largest appeal for disaster relief was the $1.5 billion requested by the UN for victims of the devastating January earthquake in Haiti.

Speaking on September 17, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the Pakistan floods the "worst natural disaster" that the United Nations has had to respond to in the world organization's 65-year history.

"Simply put, helping the 20 million people affected will be a test of our collective humanity,” Ban said.

The UN Office For Coordination Of Humanitarian Affairs said the $2 billion is intended to be used to help 14 million people in Pakistan over the next year.

The Pakistani floods, according to official tallies, have left less than 2,000 people dead. But the disaster has exposed more than 20 million people to homelessness, malnutrition, loss of livelihood, and potential epidemics.

http://www.rferl.org/content/UN_Seek...d/2161203.html

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Pakistan must use flood aid responsibly-World Bank

The World Bank and the United States on Sunday urged Pakistan to take steps to reassure donor countries that it is capable of using their flood aid responsibly and transparently and that it can enact reforms.
Massive flooding in Pakistan began in late July and swept through the country, leaving an area almost the size of England under water. The United Nations has said the floods affected more than 20 million people, damaged or destroyed nearly 1.9 million homes and killed 1,700 people.
World Bank President Robert Zoellick told a high-level U.N. meeting on Pakistan that Islamabad would have to prove its ability to manage foreign aid ahead of an October meeting in Brussels to review a flood damage assessment report the World Bank and Asian Development Bank are preparing.
“To make most effective use of help and even to secure full donor support, the government will need a reconstruction founded on transparency, accountability, flexibility, backed by law,” Zoellick said.