The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti:
On September 9, Administrator Samantha Power traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan where she met with Ambassador Donald Blome, USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman, and other U.S. Embassy colleagues. She thanked the U.S. Embassy and USAID Pakistan staff for their dedication and commitment to responding to the country’s severe natural disaster, and for their work strengthening the U.S.-Pakistan relationship.
Administrator Power then met with Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority as well as USAID’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which is leading the U.S. humanitarian response to the crisis, to hear about urgent needs on the ground, and the Pakistani government’s efforts to help those most impacted.
Later, she met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari where the two spoke about the enormous scale of the damage caused by the floods in Pakistan, how the Pakistani government is responding and how the United States can continue to support the relief efforts. Next, the Administrator met with Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa who shared the scope of the damage, particularly to critical infrastructure. They discussed ongoing rescue efforts and the Administrator offered her condolences for the loss of life in Pakistan from the floods, including XII Corps Commander Lt. General Sarfraz Ali.
Next, the Administrator visited Nur Khan Air Force Base where she met with U.S. service members and members of the Pakistani military working together to get humanitarian assistance to those in need. The Administrator observed the first U.S. military aircraft to land in Pakistan, at the request of the Pakistani government, carrying humanitarian assistance. This aircraft was the first of many that will utilize a newly established air bridge to surge supplies to flood victims from USAID’s Dubai warehouse.
Administrator Power then participated in a press conference where she announced that USAID would provide an additional $20 million in humanitarian assistance, bringing USAID’s total for disaster assistance since August 12 to more than $50.1 million.
She then met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and discussed the international response to this unprecedented disaster. The two talked about the need for all international donors to scale up their contributions to meet the staggering needs of Pakistanis impacted by the floods.
Finally, the Administrator met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Administrator expressed her condolences for the loss of life and tremendous hardship so many in Pakistan are facing right now. They discussed the ongoing friendship between the United States and Pakistan and ways that USAID can continue to assist Pakistani authorities in responding to the crisis in the short term and as they work to recover and rebuild.