The General Assembly on Friday concluded its two-day discussion on providing urgent humanitarian assistance to flood-stricken Pakistan, with the country's UN Ambassador thanking the international community for helping his government's efforts to address the unfolding human tragedy.
More than 40 countries announced pledges amounting to $254.5 million at the 192-member assembly's special session, bringing the aid total since the natural disaster struck Pakistan to $815.59 million. "The message from here to the people of Pakistan is, do not give up hope. It is difficult. It will take time," Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon told the assembly as it wound up the discussion in which 49 countries took part on Friday.
Pakistan's delegation to the assembly's special session was led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who termed his hectic four-day visit as "highly successful." In his speech, Haroon said the initial outpouring from member states was "indeed heartening" and "a good beginning," though he stressed that the country will need much more help in the months and years to come.
At the start of the meeting on Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said donors had given just half of the $460 million the UN appealed for to provide food, shelter and clean water for to up to 8 million flood victims over the next three months. But on Friday, the target was more than met. Aid groups and UN officials had worried about a slow response to the flooding, theorising that donors who have spent heavily on a string of huge disasters in recent years were reluctant to open their wallets yet again.
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