UN humanitarian chief arrives in Pakistan: "We must pull out all the stops"

(Islamabad/New York, 7 July 2009): United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes today completed the first day of a four-day visit to Pakistan. Mr. Holmes met Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmoud Qureshi, and General Nadeem, head of the Special Support Group. Mr. Holmes also met the humanitarian country team in Pakistan, which comprises both UN agencies and non-governmental organizations.

"In my meetings with the Minister and the head of the Special Support Group today, we agreed on the need to provide humanitarian assistance on both a principled and efficient basis," Mr. Holmes said. "Although we are making headway in delivering aid to people in formal camps, we need to find ways to reach more displaced in need - especially those staying in spontaneous settlements and with host families," he added.

Speaking to UN staff, Mr. Holmes noted that Pakistan is experiencing a major humanitarian crisis. "While it is not the largest crisis in the world, needs in Pakistan are the most immediate of any crisis in the world. The upcoming monsoon season makes meeting those needs an even more urgent priority," he acknowledged. "This will not be easy, and I fear it will be by no means perfect. But we must pull out all the stops to do as much as possible, as quickly as possible," he said.

On the second and third days of his mission, Mr. Holmes will gain a first-hand impression of the humanitarian situation in the North West Frontier Province through field visits to camps for internally displaced people, to host families and to spontaneous settlements of the displaced.

In the course of his four-day mission, Mr. Holmes will meet representatives from the Government, civil society, and the donor community. He is scheduled to depart Pakistan on 11 July.

For further information, please call: OCHA Pakistan: Stephanie Bunker, mobile +92 300 850 2397, bunker@un.org; OCHA New York: Nicholas Reader, +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org OCHA-Geneva: Vanessa Huguenin, +41 22 917 1891, huguenin@un.org OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int For more information about CERF, please see http://cerf.un.org