The UAE participates in the international conference to support those affected by the floods in Pakistan
The Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Maryam bint Muhammad Al Muhairi, headed the UAE delegation participating in the activities of the international conference held in Geneva today, which was organized by the Pakistani government and the United Nations, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to discuss mechanisms Mobilizing international support for those affected by the devastating floods that swept Pakistan last year, and rebuilding infrastructure.
Maryam Al Muhairi stressed in her speech during the conference that the UAE supports all international efforts to enhance emergency relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and prevention in the aftermath of the unprecedented floods that swept Pakistan in 2022, noting that the humanitarian response in this regard came to meet urgent needs, and to reach areas stricken and affected areas to ensure access to the basic needs of the population and improve their living conditions.
She added: "Extending a helping hand to those affected, and ensuring that all forms of food and medicine supplies and basic needs are sent are among the firm values of the state since its inception, as the provision of humanitarian relief is an essential part of the state's foreign policy approach, as it was one of the first countries to respond to the crisis and hastened to inaugurate a bridge Air and sea, which included the dispatch of 71 aircraft and 6 ships with more than 8,000 tons of food, medical and shelter supplies, at a value of more than $80 million, benefiting more than 6.5 million families, mostly women, children and the elderly.
She pointed out that the UAE provided over the past five years more than $2.4 billion in relief and development supplies to Pakistan, which included providing more than 647 million doses of polio vaccines to 119 million children from 2014 to 2022, and $53 million has been allocated for the period. 2023-2026 to continue the vaccination campaign as part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
At the conclusion of her speech, the Minister of Climate Change and Environment stated that the UAE is committed to moving forward towards mobilizing international efforts in facing climate challenges within the framework of its readiness to host the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at its twenty-eighth session, COP28 this year, which is an opportunity to work closely. With the international community to search for effective and sustainable solutions to mitigate climate change and give priority to economic growth, through a comprehensive approach that takes into account the interests of developing countries that suffer from the repercussions of climate change, including Pakistan, to achieve faster recovery, and to enhance flexibility in facing future challenges.
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