German FM announces €10m aid for flood victims in Pakistan

BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced €10m financial aid for the flood victims in Pakistan, ARY News reported on Friday.

FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock held a joint press conference.

Baerbock said that flood-affected people have been living under the sky. She added that Pakistan faced massive destruction due to floods and the country was becoming the most affected nation due to climate change.

She said that Germany is the biggest trade partner of Pakistan in the European Union (EU). Pakistan’s always played an important role on Afghanistan issue and with the help of Islamabad, withdrawal from Afghanistan was made possible.

While addressing the press conference, FM Bilawal said that one-third part of the country was affected by the flood and diseases were spreading among the victims. He thanked his German counterpart for the warm welcome.

The flood directly affected 33 million people after the country faced climate change calamity despite Pakistan emitting less than 1 per cent of greenhouse gases.

Earlier, FM Bilawal reached Berlin on a two-day official visit to Germany on Friday at the invitation of his German counterpart.

Besides helping to consolidate and expand bilateral relations with Germany, the visit will provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen Pakistan’s engagement with an important member of the European Union and share our perspective on climate-induced floods in Pakistan and regional and global issues.

Bilawal will hold meetings with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and other dignitaries besides interacting with the media.

“The focus of the visit would be on further deepening Pakistan’s economic engagement with Germany, a key export destination for Pakistan, and identifying new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,” the FO statement said.

Pakistan has longstanding, multidimensional ties with Germany, home to a sizable Pakistani community, an attractive destination for our students to pursue higher education, and a major investment partner.

“The foreign minister’s visit will provide further impetus to our relations with Germany,” the FO statement said.