January 17, 2024: In August 2022, Pakistan faced severe floods due to unprecedented monsoon rainfall, affecting approximately one-third of the country and impacting 33 million people. The aftermath resulted in tragic consequences, including over 1,700 casualties and the displacement of eight million individuals. UNDP Pakistan, in collaboration with international partners and local stakeholders, has been spearheading early recovery efforts while addressing emerging development challenges. 

The Government of China announced a generous contribution to support the flood-affected communities in Pakistan, through its established long-standing partnership with UNDP under the framework of the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund. This partnership will provide much-needed support to almost 50,000 beneficiaries particularly in Balochistan with a focus on the restoration of livelihood assets for small businesses, particularly the provision of equipment to improve agricultural activities in Kacchi and Jaffarabad. 

The initiatives offer training and capacity-building programs to entrepreneurs to establish small-scale businesses, improve business skills and knowledge and promote the social and economic inclusion of marginalized groups such as women and youth. The project is specifically designed to build the capacity and resilience of communities to effectively manage climate-induced disasters. By doing so, it directly contributes to global initiatives aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

H.E. Jiang Zaidong, Ambassador of China to Pakistan, appreciated the close cooperation between UNDP and China in the implementation of the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund within the framework of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and assisting the economic and social development of the developing countries. He especially praised the implementation of the “small yet smart” project in Balochistan Province, Pakistan, playing a positive role in the local post-epidemic recovery and post-disaster reconstruction. 

Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan emphasized that: "This partnership is a continuation of UNDP's longstanding global collaboration with the Government of China, focusing on delivering essential development assistance to the flood-affected communities. The project is a scalable initiative, offering targeted interventions to assist the most vulnerable populations in addressing the specific challenges they confront.”

China over the years under the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund has played a pivotal role in making substantial contributions to key areas of development in Pakistan including social cohesion and livelihoods. This ongoing collaboration through UNDP reflects a firm and continued commitment of the China – UNDP partnership to providing critical support to crisis-hit communities and strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities. 

For additional information, please contact Shuja Hakim at shuja.hakim@undp.org or +92 (51) 835 5657 

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