The sluggish international response to the Pakistan floods emergency is actually not all that sluggish, at least compared to these humanitarian crises. Introducing the five most under-funded and ignored humanitarian crises:
1) Iraqi Refugees
LUONYAKER, Sudan—This month, I’ve had the chance to travel to several different corners of Southern Sudan.
Middle East peace talks: today the Quartet issued a statement which reaffirms their support for direct negotiations and calls on the Israelis and Palestinians to launch negotiations September 2 in Washington, D.C. Asked about the SG’s reaction to the reported agreement to resume direct talks, the Spokesperson said he is awaiting official confirmation of the decision.
Yesterday, Pakistan's foreign minister addressed the General Assembly. It is among the most powerful things I have read about the historic floods. Beyond the immediate concerns of keeping people fed, sheltered and safe, you get a real sense of just how deeply transformative this calamity will be for Pakistan's social and economic structure.
While everyone else is downplaying expectations for the year-end Cancun climate summit, Mexican negotiators still believe there can be a “spectacular breakthrough.” After the failure of the recent Bonn climate talks to achieve any substantial progress, one has to wonder how Mexico is defining success in Cancun? And more importantly, how does it aim to facilitate that outcome?
Pakistan: in today’s GA meeting on Pakistan, the SG called the Pakistani floods a “slow-motion tsunami” and “one of the greatest tests of global solidarity” where needs are only expected to grow beyond the 15-20 million people already directly affected and in need of assistance. To date, nearly 1 million people have received a month’s food ration from the WFP and nearly the same have received emergency shelter and clean water from UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP, IOM, WHO and others.
Twenty percent of Pakistan is under water, and it's getting way, way less attention – and more importantly – financial support – that the earthquake in Haiti generated. It's true that in terms of initial casualties, the situation in Haiti was far worse, but the long-term impact of the Pakistani floods is going to dwarf the catastrophe in Haiti. That fact is apparently being ignored, by both the media and donors.