ISLAMABAD: A ground-breaking collaboration between the United Nations (UN) and the governments of China and Pakistan has greatly helped the people affected by natural disasters and displacement in Balochistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
With generous funding from China, and in partnership with the FATA Secretariat and the Balochistan government, the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) project costing US $ four million had benefitted 80,269 people and 8,100 temporarily displaced families in Kurram, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, and Khyber and Orakzai Agencies in FATA.
In Balochistan’s Naseerabad, Jafferabad and Sohbatpur districts, which were worst affected by the 2010 floods, new furniture and education kits were provided to 19,000 school children in 423 schools.
In its first ever contribution to World Food Programme (WFP) in Pakistan, China contributed US $ one million to make WFP food assistance accessible to 158,000 people in Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and Bannu districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), in addition to North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand and Orakzai Agencies in FATA.
Under the programme, assistance was provided to those people who were returning to FATA and those who were still displaced. Due to China’s contributions, the WFP procured and distributed food assistance, including yellow split peas, iodised salt, vegetable oil and ‘Mamta’ – a nutritious supplementary food. In addition, around 5,600 children under five months and pregnant/nursing mothers received six months of support to prevent malnutrition.
By providing assistance to the most vulnerable families, China Aid was helping the marginalised communities to manage shocks and build a foundation for the future. These initiatives build upon the Chinese government’s continued commitment and contribution to the international emergency response efforts under the framework of the South-South Cooperation Fund, managed by China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Chinese Deputy Head of Mission to Pakistan Lijian Zhao said, “The South-South Cooperation Fund is set up by China’s government to shoulder its international responsibility with the help of a special fund dedicated to helping developing countries to pursue their sustainable development goals.
