UN has sought govt proposal for assistance, says Qureshi

By Muhammad YaseenPublished On 04 Jan 2023

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations is likely to add Pakistan to its humanitarian appeal for helping it fight the pandemic and mitigate its impact on the country.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Pakistan Julien Frederic Morcom-Harneis in a meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Foreign Office on Monday sought a joint proposal from Pakistan’s health ministry and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for inclusion in the proposal.

“The UN is making a call for relief assistance for Pakistan. They require a joint proposal from the health ministry and NDMA for the call for assistance,” Mr Qureshi told after the meeting.

He assured the UN official that the government would extend all cooperation in the preparation of the appeal. UN Secretary General António Guterres and heads of UN agencies had on March 25 launched a $2 billion global humanitarian response plan (GHRP) for Covid-19, aimed at helping countries with weak health systems avoid the worst and save lives. The World Health Organisation, the UN health agency, is the lead entity in the global fight against the pandemic.

FM Qureshi said the UN appeal would be about helping Pakistan with medical supplies and providing socio-economic assistance to the vulnerable.

Pakistan’s key requirements are ventilators, testing kits and personal protective equipment for medical personnel.

The government, meanwhile, announced relief assistance worth Rs50 billion for the 12 million most vulnerable people.

Mr Qureshi said Pakistan with its limited resources was effectively fighting Covid-19. “As a developing country, Pakistan is faced with economic challenges to deal with the pandemic,” he said.

The International Monetary Fund is also considering a Pakistani request for Rapid Financing Instrument for meeting immediate balance of payment needs and supporting the most affected sectors.