Pakistan floods: UK aid response

02 August 2010

The Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell has announced help for at least 800,000 people affected by the monsoon floods in Pakistan.

Britain will support the Government of Pakistan’s response effort to provide safe drinking water, hygiene kits, toilets, sewage clearance and waste removal.
New UK aid of £5 million will be channelled through UNICEF and will provide approximately 136,000 hygiene kits, 4,560 toilets, 336,000 bars of sanitising soap, 270,000 buckets/Jerry cans, 400,000 water purification powder sachets and 800,000 water purification tablets to help prevent further death and disease of the children and people of Pakistan affected by the monsoon floods.

This is in addition to funding contributed by the Department for International Development (DFID) to the Pakistan Emergency Response Fund, run by the United Nations. The UK contribution will provide food, shelter, water, sanitation, and healthcare to thousands of people affected by the floods. The UK was the first country to contribute to this new emergency response fund.

DFID has also agreed with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to accelerate the provision of new bridges across the region to replace those washed away by the monsoon floods. DFID will also fund a team of engineers to work with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to plan and deliver the bridges. Originally scheduled for the New Year, the start date for the £10 million project will be bought forward to start as soon as soon as possible after the recovery process makes access possible.

The relief effort, being led by the Government of Pakistan, includes urgent search and rescue operations, emergency shelter, food, drinking water, health care, and sanitation.

Speaking from Sierra Leone, Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, said:

“I know many British people are deeply concerned by the terrible suffering caused by the ongoing monsoon floods in Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan is leading the relief efforts, and the UK is ready to help in any way we can.

“The UK’s contribution to the emergency relief effort will help limit disease and further deaths by helping provide safe drinking water, food, toilets, medical care, and other essential items to at least 800,000 people in Pakistan affected by the monsoon floods.”