Foreign countries, donors: Pakistan receives only 26 percent of pledged assistance

Foreign donors and countries have yet to fulfil their pledges made for the flood-affected people of Pakistan, as so far the country has received only $489 million (26 percent) of the total $1.8 billion committed assistance. The State Bank of Pakistan for the first time has unearthed details of assistance committed and disbursed by different countries and donors for the flood victims.
The details revelled that several countries and donors have not fulfilled major segment of their committed assistance and so far only 26 percent of the funds/assistance/goods has been received from them. Pakistan suffered one of the biggest natural disasters of its history in last August and the unprecedented floods of 2010 dislodged more than 20 million people residing over an area of 132,000 kilo meters. According to estimates of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, damage to infrastructure, farms, homes, as well as other direct and indirect losses amounted to around US $9.7 billion.
After this disaster, several countries and donors pledged $1.87 billion in term of grant and goods for the flood victims. But according to SBP, out of the total committed amount some $489.5 million worth grant and goods have been disbursed/received so far and remaining $1.37 billion assistance is still in the pipeline. Out of the total disbursement, $287.5 million was in shape of grant and $202 million in shape of goods.
Interestingly, the data shows that most of the donors preferred to made disbursement through International Non Governmental Organisations (INGOs). Out of the total pledged amount, some 34 percent or $634.4 million was pledged for government and remaining amount of $1.236 billion was for the INGOs. Breakup shows that Turkey and UN are among the donors, who have 100 percent fulfilled their commitment. Turkey had pledged $45 million while the UN $29 million.
Australia, Saudi Public Fund Relief, Canada and Turkey private public fundraising had pledged $67.5 million, $242 million, $33 million and $130.9 million respectively, however, not a single penny has been received from them so far. US and USAID commitment was $381.5 million for the INGOs out of which only $68 million have so far been disbursed, while $313.5 million are in the pipeline.
EU has disbursed $87.5 million as against the commitment of $187.5 million, UK has disbursed $48 million of the total $117.7 million and Iran has provided $1.2 million of the total $101.2 million. Some $100 million was agreed by Saudi Arabia while it spent $45 million, China pledged $50.7 million and has paid $21.2 million, Germany pledged $43.8 million and disbursed $37.5 million and Netherlands promised $43.3 million and has paid only $8.4 million.
Denmark and other donors disbursed $12 million and $86.7 million as against promised amount of $33 million and $264.2 million respectively. Sources said that delay in the disbursement of already pledged amount is disturbing the rehabilitation and reconstruction process.
With a major portion of the population associated with agriculture sector and almost 40 percent of population living around the poverty line in Pakistan, the floods are likely to have severe socio-economic consequences, they said. According to International Labour Organisation more than 5.3 million jobs were lost due to floods and as many hospitals, schools, and roads were either destroyed or damaged.