Pakistani officials were increasingly concerned Thursday whether next week’s UN-backed conference in Geneva will succeed in raising the billions of dollars needed to help survivors of last summer’s devastating floods and kick-start reconstruction efforts.
Pakistani government officials say they need nearly $16.3 billion, half of which will be financed from the Pakistani budget. The government seeks the other half — approximately $8 billion — in aid donations from the international community.
The United Nations and Pakistan are jointly hosting a conference on Monday in Geneva, which had earlier been billed as a ‘donors conference’. However, expectations of large influxes have foundered, as the government now says the day-long event will be used to raise awareness and alarm about the aftermath of the catastrophic flooding.
