Islamabad, (Samajweekly) As Pakistan reeled from the worst-ever floods last year that led to the inundation of at least one-third of the country, affected over 3.5 million people and incurred economic losses of at least $40 billion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is leading a delegation to Geneva to co-host the ‘International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan’ alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Many heads of states and governments along with other stakeholders will attend the conference.
The agenda of the conference is to call for extended international support to rehabilitate the population affected by last year’s devastating floods and reconstruct the badly-damaged infrastructure in a climate-resilient manner.
As per details, the day long conference will have to main agendas: Resilient Recovery & Rehabilitation; and Reconstruction Framework (4RF)
Important discussions will be held highlighting institutional, financial and implementation arrangement partnerships with other countries and stakeholders to achieve the climate resilience.
Sharif and Guterres will do an official launch of 4RF with their opening statements, seeking from partners and donors to give their funding commitments to the 4RF.
Sources said that Pakistan will also look to utilise the second part of the conference to find ways of long-term agreements to build climate resilience and adaptation.
Pakistan will present the 4RF strategic policy document, which was prepared by the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) with the help of global institutions.
“As per PDNA assessment, total damages and economic losses top $30 billion while needs of rehabilitation and resilient reconstruction are assessed at over $16 billion,” said a government source.
4RF also will be the benchmark of Pakistan government’s comprehensive disaster recovery plan, which includes: Strategic Recovery Objectives (SRO); Policy Framework; Financing Strategy; Implementation and Monitoring arrangements
To effectively implement the 4RF plan, a segmented and enhanced strategy has been highlighted.
To enhance governance and the capabilities of the state institutions to restore the lives and livelihoods of the affected people,
ensure social inclusion and participation; restore and improve basic services; and restore physical infrastructure in a resilient and sustainable manner.
“This is a pivotal moment for the global community to stand with Pakistan and to commit to a resilient and inclusive recovery from these devastating floods,” said the UN Development Programme’s Pakistan Representative Knut Ostby.
Sharif has been urging the world community to look at the devastation and the unprecedented destruction caused due to the floods with compassion and solidarity and help to build back better.
