There are renewed calls internationally to assist Pakistan in coping with the floods’ aftermath. Earlier this week, the United Nations revised its Flash Appeal from $160 million (announced in late August) to $816 million, a five-fold increase, to support the federal government’s ‘Pakistan Floods Response Plan’. Roughly 60 percent of that amount is targeted to be raised by the end of 2022 and the rest by May 2023.

As per the UN data, there has been a tragic loss of life of over 1,600 Pakistanis (including 600+ children), with nearly 13,000 injured. Roughly 8 million people have been displaced, as over 2 million houses have been completely or partially damaged. More than 400 bridges have been damaged or destroyed and more than 13,000 kilometers of roads have been washed away. In the farming sector, some 9.4 million acres of cultivation area was submerged, and over 1.1 million livestock heads perished.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has estimated as of October 4, that floods have affected 33 million Pakistanis in 84 districts since the heavy rains and floods started in mid-June. Out of those, 20.6 million people are in urgent need of assistance. The revised UN appeal has a target to reach 9.5 million affectees, nearly half of the people that are in need of help, in 34 hardest-hit districts. Funding is short, but it is heartening to see UN and its partners’ commitment.

Estimates show that this natural disaster is likely to force anywhere between 10 million to 15 million people into poverty. It could get worse if urgent help did not arrive. As per the revised appeal data from OCHA, the UN has earmarked 44 percent of its planned funding for food security, nutrition and agriculture, 18 percent for shelter, 14 percent for health, 12 percent for water, sanitation and hygiene, 6 percent for protection, 5 percent for education, whereas the rest is meant for logistics and coordination.

Considering the international response to the earlier appeal, it would require a lot of effort on part of the government and the UN authorities to meet the $816 million revised appeal target. Data from OCHA shows that after over a month of the launch of the initial appeal of $160 million, roughly $90 million could be mobilized, which is 56 percent of the original appeal. Some 56 of the raised amount thus far has been provided by the US, followed by 18 percent from Disaster Emergency Committee (leading UK charities), 11 percent by the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, and 7 percent by the Government of Japan.

To meet $472 million funding target for 2022, an additional $383 million have to be raised in the nearly three months ahead. That may not be a difficult objective, but it would require more countries and donors to make funding commitments. The fear is that revised UN appeal, which barely featured on primetime or front pages of Western media, may also fail to secure sizable pledges. There is donor fatigue and global solidarity seems to be in short supply. With the reported donor conference seemingly not happening, will the COP27 Climate Conference next month in Egypt (COP 27) move the needle? Let’s wait and see!