The Government of Denmark on Tuesday announced an additional $2.8 million in immediate humanitarian assistance for the flood victims. This announcement along with other recent Danish humanitarian support to Pakistan, brings the total assistance of $8.8 million for 2011.
The assistance for the flood victims was announced by the Danish Ambassador to Pakistan, Uffe Wolffhechel, who shared that the Danish Government is committed to supporting Pakistan during its challenging times. "The floods have since 2010 put several millions of Pakistanis in a very vulnerable situation. Thousands of them were still struggling to overcome the financial, social and emotional loss occurred from the 2010 floods, when the additional disaster happened and has further caused challenges for them. The food security is becoming more critical day by day and the Southern part of Pakistan, which is still fighting the impacts of the floods, especially needs support."
More than half of the overall contribution is given to the World Food Programme to support with food supplies, in particular due to the upcoming food shortage and winter weather conditions. The Danish Government has also donated to Save the Children as part of providing immediate relief for flood victims in Sindh through food, shelter, emergency medical care and child protection, education and nutrition interventions.
Previously, the Danish Government has also contributed directly to NDMA's assessment and relief operations as well as participated in the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission (ECHO) expert team visit to Pakistan to make assessment of the floods with the Pakistan Government.
"Denmark responded immediately to the floods in August 2011 by contributing to the National Disaster Management Authority's relief operations and ECHO's assessment, so that we could support the Pakistani authorities in mapping the community and geographical needs as well as review the immediate and long term needs of the flood affected," said Wolffhechel, adding that "In addition, the Danish INGOs have provided funds out of its own resources for an immediate response.
Denmark has also provided core funding to the tune of $9 million for UNCHR and corresponding amounts to WFP and UNICEF to allow these organisations to take immediate reaction whenever disaster strikes, which has also been utilised for the relief activities for Pakistan."-PR