UN Chief António Guterres arrives as Pakistan reels from flood disaster

UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Pakistan on Friday to express solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan braving a colossal climate-induced natural disaster caused by unprecedented rains and floods across the country.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar received him at Islamabad International Airport.

“During the visit, Secretary Guterres will hold meetings with the Pakistani leadership and senior officials to exchange views on the national and global response to this catastrophe caused by climate change,” stated a curtain raiser statement released by the Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday.

UN Secretary General António Guterres to visit Pakistan on September 9-10

The secretary-general will travel to areas most impacted by the climate catastrophe.

According to the curtain raiser, Guterres will interact with displaced families and first responders in the field and oversee UN’s humanitarian response work in support of the government’s rescue and relief efforts for millions of affected people.

His visit will further raise global awareness about the massive scale of this calamity and the resulting loss of life and widespread devastation, it said.

“It will contribute towards enhancing commensurate and coordinated international response to the humanitarian and other needs of the 33 million affected Pakistanis,” the statement added.

The secretary general’s visit will also spotlight the importance of sustained international support for Pakistan through the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, and for building resilience against future climate shocks.