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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for support for Pakistan’s reconstruction efforts after last year’s devastating floods. As Pakistan’s economy faces inflation, the reconstruction process is estimated to cost more than $16 billion.
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“We must reinforce the heroic response of the Pakistani people with our own efforts and massive investments to strengthen their communities for the future,” Antonio Guterres said in Geneva.
The U.N. chief also said Pakistan had been “double-wounded” by climate chaos and a global financial system that was not helping the country in financing and debt relief.
Ahead of the meeting, the head of the UN development agency, Achim Steiner, described the floods as a “catastrophic event”, adding that if the world did not come forward to help, Pakistan could face “very much suffering”.
Pakistani Prime Minister Sheikh Baz Sharif said the country needs $8 billion in funding from international partners over the next three years to rebuild the country. Nearly 8 million people have been displaced and at least 1,700 killed by the floods, which experts blame on climate change.
Pakistan’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who attended the meeting with Shehbaz Sharif, called the floods a “climate disaster of colossal scale”.
“This is the worst climate disaster in our country’s history. Pakistan will need substantial support from our international partners in the coming years to implement this comprehensive plan,” he said.
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