Remarks by Ms. Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, OCHA, Informal GA Briefing on Resolution 77/1 (Pakistan Floods)

Thank you, Secretary-General and President Francis, for inviting me to speak at this important event today.

At the outset, I want to thank the Government of Pakistan for their continuing leadership and for our strong partnership – not only on the humanitarian response in the country, but also on ensuring that the urgent need to enhance our support for those on the frontline of climate change and extreme weather events remains high on the international agenda.

Excellencies, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

The historic floods that devastated Pakistan just over a year ago were a clear warning that we can no longer delay taking action.

As the Prime Minister of Pakistan reminded us last week at the General Assembly, the floods submerged one-third of the country.

The humanitarian needs created were vast – they affected 33 million people, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,700 people, and destroyed or damaged more than 2 million homes.

The response by the Government of Pakistan, with the support of the United Nations, was swift and effective.

Just weeks after the floods, the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations together launched the Floods Response Plan, which requested US$816 million to support 9.5 million of the most affected people.

Thanks to the national and provincial disaster management authorities, humanitarian organizations, Pakistani civil society – including local women-led organizations – and the generosity of the international community, more than 6 million people have since received some form of humanitarian assistance.

Even today, the UN and its partners continue to assist people in flood-ravaged areas, after further flooding struck this summer.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The scale and impact of the floods in Pakistan underlined the urgency of stepping up support to countries and communities directly in path of the climate crisis.

First, it is clear these countries and communities need much more financial assistance to address climate disasters, build resilience and adapt to climate change.

The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, or CERF, is a fast and effective vehicle to channel timely funding to address climate-related impacts. Since 2006, CERF has spent $2.2 billion doing so in more than 85 countries. As we continue efforts to enhance this capacity, we urge donors to continue supporting CERF so that it is replenished and ready to provide support.

Second, we need to scale up efforts to anticipate, prevent and mitigate crises before they occur.

At the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, we continue to mainstream anticipatory action as part of our humanitarian programming. As our ability to predict emergencies and disasters improves, we must continue to get better at providing the assistance vulnerable communities need before disaster strikes.

Third, responses to crises need to be multi-sectoral, integrating recovery and longer-term resilience-building into humanitarian support from the start.

In Pakistan, we know that humanitarian needs remain – and affected communities still need food, nutrition, safe water, education, and protection, support – but the UN and our partners, along with the Government, remain committed to supporting vulnerable communities through longer-term, resilient programming.

A strong synergy between the Floods Response Plan and resilience-building activities under the “Resilient, Recovery, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction Framework” (4RF) has been critical to ensuring the restoration of essential services. And OCHA and humanitarian agencies have been working closely with the Government and development partners, including UNDP and UNICEF, to ensure the smooth transition from humanitarian projects to longer-term rehabilitation and development programmes.

Finally, all of these approaches require us to work more closely with affected communities and to take more localized and gender responsive action. Local knowledge and expertise is critical component in to build resilience, adapt to climate change and respond to disasters.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Just as urgent action is needed to address the climate crisis, it is time for a step change in how we support countries at risk prepare for and respond to climate- related disasters.

As we heard last week during the SDG Summit, it is time to call for action to enhance the adaptive capacity, strengthen the resilience, and reduce the vulnerability of those on the frontline of climate change and extreme weather events. The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, will echo these calls at COP 28 in November, alongside Pakistan and other Member States committed to this cause.

I urge you all to join us – to make sure this call is heard and acted upon. Thank you.