19 August 2010
Andrew Mitchell, International Development Secretary, has announced that the UK intends to double its aid contribution for the floods in Pakistan, but will only release money to partners who are able to show they can deliver the right results for the people of Pakistan.
Andrew Mitchell flew to New York straight from a visit to Pakistan where he had seen how UK aid was helping those affected by flooding. The new support could help millions more. He told the UN General Assembly it was 'unacceptable' that the international community had not done more, and urged other donors to step up their efforts.
The Secretary of State made clear new UK support will only be released to implementing partners - such as NGOs and UN agencies - when we are confident it will help the people of Pakistan access desperately needed medicine, food, clean water and shelter. New funding will also help people to rebuild their lives after the flooding, for example providing seeds to farmers so they can restart crop planting.
Speaking in New York, Andrew Mitchell said:
"I've come to New York directly from Pakistan, where I saw the dire need for more help. Yesterday I saw the sheer and shocking magnitude of this catastrophe. It is clear that unless more aid is delivered now, many more people will die from disease and malnutrition.
"It is deeply depressing that the international community is only now waking up to the true scale of this disaster.
"The UK is already helping more than three million people in flood-affected areas. This doubling of our aid should now provide water and sanitation to 500,000 people; shelter to 170,000 people; help meet the nutritional needs of 380,000 people and provide enough health services to cover a population of 2.4 million people.
“This additional supportwill help millions more secure the aid they need not only to survive, but to begin rebuilding their lives.
"I am in New York to urge the rest of the world to follow the example of those countries that have increased their support in recent days. The wealthiest nations - especially those in the G8 - have a duty to step up their response dramatically."
Andrew Mitchell will hold a series of high level meetings with his opposite numbers from across the globe. He will impress on them the need to commit more practical and financial help to the estimated 20 million people affected by the floods.
The UK intends to make available an additional £33 million in aid. This is in addition to the £31.3 million already allocated to the disaster by the UK Government.
UK aid, with the help of the UK military, is already helping three million people affected by flooding. We are providing one million people with safe drinking water and sanitation supplies and giving nutritional support for vulnerable women and children across the flood-affected regions. We have also accelerated a programme to provide new bridges to replace some of those washed away by the floods. The UK military is helping to transport vital equipment including tents and shelter kits, as well as offering bridging expertise to help restore transport networks and enable delivery of relief to areas which have been cut off by the floods.
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