President Emmanuel Macron has said France would contribute €360 million to help Pakistan recover from last year’s devastating floods.
In a video address to an international conference hosted by the United Nations in Geneva, Macron said France was also ready to support Pakistan in its talks with financial institutions.
The floods, blamed on climate change, dealt a severe blow to Pakistan's strained economy while displacing some 8 million people and killing at least 1,700 people.
“No country deserves to endure what happened to Pakistan,” Antonio Guterres told the one-day conference on Monday.
Bill estimated at €16bn
Rebuilding efforts are estimated to cost more than $16 billion over the next three years.
Macron said France was prepared to join a global group being created to support Pakistan’s reconstruction efforts.
Meanwhile European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union was contributing €500 million towards Pakistan’s reconstruction, as she announced a fresh injection of €10 million in humanitarian assistance.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the conference his country was “racing against time” to deal with towering needs.
“This is the greatest climate disaster in our country’s history,” agreed Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, decrying a “colossal calamity”.
Pakistan’s government has said the country should be able to cover half the cost, but is urging the international community to fund the rest.
(with wires)
