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UN chief asks world to ‘massively’ help flood-hit Pakistan

Published:Friday | September 9, 2022 | 8:09 AM
In this handout photo released by Pakistan Prime Minister Office, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, left, shake hand with Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. Guterres appealed to the world to help Pakistan after arriving in the country Friday to see climate-induced devastation from months of deadly record floods that have left half a million people living in tents under the open sky. (Pakistan Prime Minister Office via AP)

ISLAMABAD (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world owes impoverished Pakistan “massive” help recovering from devastating floods because other nations have contributed more to the climate change thought to have triggered the deluge.

Months of monsoons and flooding have killed 1,391 people and affected 3.3 million in the Islamic nation. A half-million people there have become homeless. Planeloads of aid from the U.S., the United Arab Emirates and other countries have begun arriving. But there's more to be done, Guterres said.

Nature, the U.N. chief said in Islamabad, has attacked Pakistan, which contributes less than 1% of global emissions, according to multiple experts. Nations ”who are more responsible for climate change...should have faced this challenge,” Guterres said, seated next to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“We are heading into a disaster,” Guterres added. “We have waged war on nature and nature is tracking back and striking back in a devastating way. Today in Pakistan, tomorrow in any of your countries.”

The U.N. chief's trip comes less than two weeks after Guterres appealed for $160 million in emergency funding to help those affected by the monsoon rains and floods that Pakistan says have caused at least $10 billion in damages. International aid is arriving, including the first planeload of what the U.S. has pledged will be $30 million in assistance.

Earlier, the U.N. chief took to Twitter, saying, “I appeal for massive support from the international community as Pakistan responds to this climate catastrophe.”

U.N. chief said Friday other nations contributing to climate change are obligated to reduce emissions and help Pakistan. He assured Sharif that his voice was “entirely at the service of the Pakistani government and the Pakistani people” and that “the entire U.N. system is at the service of Pakistan.”

Later, Guterres directed his words to the “international community,” saying that by some estimates, Pakistan needs about $30 billion to recover.

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