Planning Ministery directs stakeholders to expedite flood recovery projects

September 07, 2023 (MLN): The caretaker Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Muhammad Sami Saeed, directed relevant stakeholders on Wednesday to expedite the development projects for flood-affected areas under the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (4RF) framework, according to a press release issued on the same day.

The Minister issued these directives while chairing a meeting to review progress on the implementation status of the 4RF framework.

During the meeting, the Minister received a detailed briefing on the implementation status of the 4RF framework, which encompasses various projects aimed at assisting flood-affected areas across the country.

It is noteworthy that last year, Pakistan faced unprecedented devastation due to torrential rains and flooding in most parts of the country, affecting 33 million people and resulting in economic losses worth $30 billion.

In response, the government devised the 4RF framework, which proposed effective coordination and participation arrangements among federal and provincial governments, development partners, donors, international and national NGOs, and academic and private sectors.

In October of the same year, the Post-Damage Needs Assessment (PDNA), conducted jointly by the Government of Pakistan and its international development partners, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, and UN relief agencies, estimated the total cost of the calamity at $30bn.

In January of this year, Pakistan successfully secured pledges of $10bn from donors during the International Conference on ‘Climate Resilient Pakistan,’ jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UN in Geneva.

During the meeting, a comprehensive briefing was provided to the Minister on the implementation status of the 4RF framework and the various projects being executed for the benefit of flood-affected areas in the country.

It was further noted that all projects are being closely supervised, and in this regard, a dashboard will be launched at the Planning Ministry to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of the projects.

Despite Pakistan’s carbon emissions being less than 1%, the country remains highly vulnerable to climatic disasters. Pakistan raised this concern during the COP27 summit held in Egypt last year.

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