The Federal Government is to provide a further 10 million euro in humanitarian support for Pakistan. This brings the Government’s total bilateral aid for Pakistan to 35 million euro. Germany provides further support through the various multilateral institutions that it co finances, which have themselves made a substantial contribution to relief efforts.

Immediately before the announcement, the United Nations had raised the sum sought by its disaster appeal for Pakistan from 0.46 to 2 billion US dollars.

Twenty million people affected

Although the flood waters have receded in most parts of the country, the short and medium-term consequences of the disaster remain hard to predict. The number of people affected by the floods has risen to more than 20 million. Many Pakistanis have lost their livelihoods and will be reliant on assistance from the authorities and the international community for months to come. Moreover, infectious diseases are spreading fast in the disaster area and in the new refugee camps.

The new funds come in equal parts from the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and will be spent on food, medicines and emergency shelters. German non-governmental organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN humanitarian organizations are providing assistance on the ground.