The United States is supporting Balochistan residents who have been affected by the severe floods of 2022 by working with partners from the UN and non-governmental organisations to offer food, cash, shelter, nutrition assistance, and other services. For instance, as of November 1, the United States had given almost 3,000 metric tonnes of food to 371,000 individuals in Balochistan via the World Food Programme (WFP). Additionally, the WFP has given 37,200 mothers and children who are undernourished specialised food and has given $391,00 in cash to communities to rehabilitate their community and agricultural infrastructure. The World Health Organization and UNICEF are receiving financing from the United States to provide nutrition assistance to Balochistan communities. Between 2018 and 2020, the US helped thousands of Balochistan households suffering from hunger, drought-like conditions, and other issues.
On Wednesday, US Ambassador Donald Blome travelled to Quetta to meet with the chief minister, Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, as well as local climate change adaptation partners, higher education officials, local NGOs, leaders, and Afghan refugees. According to a statement from the US embassy, during his visit, Ambassador Blome highlighted the strong cooperation between the US and Pakistan in promoting economic development through higher education and women’s empowerment. He also discussed US efforts to combat the effects of climate change through a Green Alliance with a variety of partners in Pakistan. “The United States and the people of the Balochistan Province have a wide-ranging, intense, and lasting collaboration that extends to other areas as well as the economy, health, and rule of law.”By working together, we can ensure a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for both of our countries,” he stated. As part of a bigger initiative to create an urban forest in the city of Quetta, Ambassador Blome took part in a community tree-planting drive. By providing a forum for the interaction of various groups for the benefit of society as a whole, the project, which is being driven by young activists, intends to enhance climate change adaptation, increase climate risk awareness, and boost community resilience to climate change. The ambassador emphasised during the ceremony that Pakistan received more than 97 million dollars in flood-related aid from the US government this year, including aid for Balochistan residents and localities. However, we are aware that the flooding’s effects are not yet fully felt.
