Renewed international commitment needed to support positive progress in Pakistan while staying the course in Afghanistan

(New York, 13 October 2015): The Head of Operations at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, John Ging, called today for renewed international commitment to address urgent humanitarian needs and shore up regional peace and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan, noting that the two countries were on very different humanitarian trajectories.

Mr. Ging arrived in Afghanistan on 4 October, the day after the attack on the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Kunduz hospital, which tragically killed 12 workers and 10 patients, including 3 children. He said the fighting which had engulfed Kunduz in the days preceding the attack was symptomatic of rapidly deteriorating security conditions across the country.

“Afghanistan faces a long and challenging road to peace, stability and development,” said Mr. Ging. “But after thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars invested, it is imperative that we do not give up now. We must renew our commitment to supporting the people of Afghanistan on their difficult road to recovery.”

Some 7.4 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance, including 130,000 people newly displaced by conflict, 300,000 Pakistani refugees and 120,000 people affected by flooding. Although funding for the crisis has steadily decreased year-on-year, the $204 million appeal for 2015 is under 50 per cent funded.

Mr. Ging also visited Peshawar in northern Pakistan, where 600,000 people displaced by fighting since 2008 have returned to their villages this year. The Government of Pakistan has shown strong leadership in this operation, giving more than $286 million in food and cash to support families returning to areas devastated by conflict.

“In a world where so many crises are on a negative trajectory, Pakistan offers an all too rare example of positive progress,” said Mr. Ging. “Supporting the Government to help people rebuild their lives in areas where fighting has ended is critical to building a stable and prosperous future for the country.”

Reflecting on the international responsibility to support Pakistan, John Ging said, “We must acknowledge that Pakistan generously hosts more than 1.5 million refugees – the second largest refugee population of any country on earth. The country also disproportionately suffers the impacts of climate change, with 1.6 million people affected by floods this year.” Mr. Ging noted that Pakistan’s National Disaster Management. Agency has developed into a world class institution over the last decade, incorporating international best practice.