ISLAMABAD: The first meeting between a senior US diplomat and three senior ministers took place in Islamabad this week after COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh last month regarding Pakistan’s flood recovery efforts.
On December 8-9, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Elizabeth Horst visited Islamabad to discuss US support for Pakistan’s flood recovery with government leaders.
Horst met Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Measures Ahsan Iqbal and the Chief of Staff of the National Disaster Management Authority, a US embassy spokesperson said. Brigadier Naik Nam.
The U.S. says Horst’s visit and discussions will help the U.S. government work with Pakistan to support flood recovery efforts, improve access to renewable energy, respond to climate change and address these challenges. Expressed commitment to promote trade and investment between us. Countries
Surprisingly, the Ministry of External Affairs did not issue any statement about the meeting. When asked about the details of the meeting between Minister of State Hina Rabbani Khar and Horst, the office did not deny it.
The Ministry of External Affairs does not issue a press release or tweet on every meeting. The meeting you are referring to was operational and therefore not broadcast,” a Foreign Office spokesperson replied to JEE News.
He added that the US has provided more than $97 million in aid to Pakistan in 2022 for flood relief, food security and natural disaster relief.
The US Embassy spokesperson added that Horst’s visit was part of an ongoing effort to analyze more ways to increase Pakistan’s flood recovery and resilience, including through the US-Pakistan Green Alliance.
“For 75 years, the United States has valued our longstanding bilateral partnership with Pakistan. As Pakistan continues to recover from the floods, our support for affected communities will be steadfast.”
Loss and damage fund
The creation of a fund was announced at the COP27 meeting in Egypt last month due to the efforts of countries affected by climate change.
A dedicated “Fund for Loss and Damage” will address losses and damages in developing countries such as Pakistan, which were particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, who played a key role in the negotiation process at COP27, said resilience is key to a sustainable future and accelerating growth.
He said that concerted public advocacy led to the agreement, adding that it was all about environmental justice, not charity because developing countries lacked the resources to deal with climate change disasters. Is.
Resilience was also a race against time, the minister added, citing the seriousness of the climate change-induced disaster in the form of artificial lakes and floods.
