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Pakistan

PAKISTAN: STILL MORE TO DO - UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF

(Islamabad / New York / Geneva: 05 December 2010): On the final day of her four-day mission to Pakistan, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, visited the conflict affected population in the northern area of Kyber Pakhthunkwa (KPK) province.

During her visit to KPK, Ms. Amos visited Jalozai Camp, where nearly 97,000 men, women and children are living in tents and receiving clean drinking water, food, education, and other basic services. The majority of the camp population are civilians displaced by the conflict in the northern agencies of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Some of them arrived more than two years ago.

"Many of the people I met today want to return home and restart their lives. We need to make sure that we assist them through that process and support them until conditions are right for their return," said Ms. Amos. "The situation in the north is extremely complex -some of the people affected were refugees, who became internally displaced and now have to cope with the impact of the floods," said Ms. Amos.

Floods in Pakistan since late July have created one of the largest humanitarian crises the United Nations and humanitarian community have ever responded to and aid agencies have mobilised resources to reach millions of people throughout the affected areas. However more resources are needed to help people plant their crops and rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

"The world's attention is waning at a time when some of the biggest challenges are still to come," said Ms. Amos. "Millions of people need continued assistance in terms of health care, education and agricultural support."

The United Nations launched the revised Flood Emergency Response Plan requesting nearly $1.94 billion, and so far, 49 per cent of the funding requirements, or $958 million, has been received.

"The world must not close its eyes to the needs of the Pakistani people. We must continue to help the most vulnerable families. They want a future for their children", said Ms. Amos.

For further information, please call:

OCHA Pakistan: Stacey Winston, mobile +92 300 850 2397, winston@un.org;

OCHA-New York: Stephanie Bunker, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 347 244 2106, bunker@un.org; Nicholas Reader, +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org, OCHA-Geneva: Elisabeth Byrs, +41 22 917 2653, mobile +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int

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