Islamabad, 03 Dec 2023: At the COP28 summit in the UAE, Lt. General Inam Haider Malik, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), called for the urgent need to provide climate finances to countries like Pakistan, severely affected by disasters. This appeal was made during a special session focused on aligning development, humanitarian, and climate finance.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Lt. Gen. Malik highlighted the Green Pakistan Initiative and Pakistan’s efforts in Proactive Disaster Management to enhance indigenous capacities for disaster prevention and loss minimization. His address at COP28 stressed the significance of financial support for implementing critical projects in disaster-prone countries.

In a meeting with Abhas Jha, Practice Manager for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, South Asia Region, World Bank, Lt. Gen. Malik discussed potential collaborations for long-term sustainability and expanding the scope of the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) operations and capacity strengthening. The World Bank expressed its support and potential collaboration in strengthening Pakistan’s overall Disaster Risk Management (DRM) system.

Additionally, Lt. Gen. Malik met with David Milliband, CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and briefed him on the NEOC’s operations within NDMA, emphasizing its role in anticipating disasters to minimize loss of life and property. The IRC CEO acknowledged the growing importance of Anticipatory Actions in preventing humanitarian disasters.

These meetings and discussions at COP28 highlight Pakistan’s proactive stance in disaster management and the vital need for international support and collaboration in climate finance to bolster the country’s resilience against climate-induced disasters.