humanitarian aid

International development organizations Oxfam, Plan, Eurodad and Concern Worldwide called today on EU leaders, meeting tomorrow for the first time to examine Europe’s role as a global power, to shift gear in their response to Pakistan.

Oxfam today warned of a public health catastrophe in flood-hit Pakistan. While funding had stalled in recent weeks, the number of cases of reported disease, numbers of people displaced, and numbers of people affected by the floods continue to rise each day.

The IMF will issue a $450 million loan to Pakistan which risks plunging Pakistan into debt that it can ill-afford. Oxfam is calling for the cancellation of all multilateral and bilateral loans to Pakistan, and for debt relief to be given on emergency assistance from the IMF.

Kristalina Georgieva, European Humanitarian Commissioner, today visited Pakistan to see the effect of the devastating floods on the country. More than 17 million people are now affected by the floods – in an area that now constitutes the world's largest freshwater lake.

As the world's leaders gathered for a special session of the General Assembly in New York, Oxfam urged the international community to avoid grand gestures and take immediate action to get aid to those affected by the Pakistani floods.

The UK government has made a good start in committing more than £30m ($38m). But it can and should do much more to help the people of Pakistan. This is a disaster on an unprecedented scale which needs an equally robust response.

The European Commission (EC) has announced today an additional €30 million in urgent relief assistance for the people affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF) urges the international community to play its part in meeting the immediate needs of millions of Pakistanis, and warns that without long-term funding, rebuilding this devastated country will prove virtually impossible.

Against the backdrop of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's visit to devastated areas of Pakistan, international aid agency Oxfam today says that the visit is welcome as the humanitarian community struggles to cope with limited funds and a rapidly escalating crisis.

Responding to the United Nations announcement that it is calling for $459m for the Pakistan