I profoundly express my gratitude to all of you the media representatives and journalists for your presence in this meeting which has been organized with the view of providing some explanation on measures and contributions done and made by the ECO to render assistance to the victims of the recent devastating flood occurred in Pakistan which is one of the founding member states of this Organization:
In the aftermath of the recent catastrophic flood in Pakistan, a meeting was held on 18 August 2010 attended by ambassadors and representatives of ECO Member States to explore possible ways to aid flood-stricken people. While expressing sympathy with government and people of Pakistan, the representatives or ECO exchanged views on possibilities to help the victims.
As you the media representatives and journalists are well aware, the recent flooding in Pakistan has been the worst natural disaster in the past 80 years. According to the reports, 2000 people have died and 20 million have been inflicted by this calamity. In addition, flood has seriously damaged crops and infrastructures of Pakistan, leaving 6 million without food, shelter and medical care. Therefore, taking in to account the extent of this calamity and the number of victims who have been stricken and are in urgent need of help, taking immediate action is greatly vital and indispensable.
In pursuance of the above meeting and the explanation provided by the honorable representative of Pakistan regarding the status quo, participants unanimously agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting of the council of permanent representatives of ECO (Also known as CPR) to adopt immediate decisions on the issue. Therefore an extraordinary CPR was held on 23 August 2010 at the Secretariat with the following outcomes:
It was decided that considering the overall need of the country a token cash contribution would be allocated from ECO Special Purpose Fund and to be delivered to the Government of Pakistan to provide aid to flood-stricken people. However, the main objective of this contribution which was unanimously approved by all the representatives was a gesture of solidarity to brotherly and Muslim people of Pakistan.
This contribution is going to be submitted to the Pakistani officials during my visit to this country in near future. I will be accompanied by representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran as the current chairman of the Council of Permanent Representatives of ECO.
A trial train on good from Istanbul, Turkey to Pakistan is already transporting donation from some Member States. I was also laid down that each Member States could send at least 5 trucks loaded by humanitarian aids in form of a caravan to Pakistan at the end of September. The meeting discussed logistic issues and required coordination and reached an agreement.
In addition, it was decided that after my visit to Pakistan, in an informal meeting which is going to be attended by the Foreign Minister of Member States of ECO Member States, I would share my estimation of the damage and what victims need with them to request more aids from their countries.
The foregoing meeting also discussed the issue of rendering aid to Kyrgyzstan. As you are aware during recent months (last April and June) the Republic of Kyrgyzstan underwent internal instability which left some number of innocent people dead and many homeless.
It is fortunate to say that the situation in this country is stabilizing however people of Kyrgyzstan are in desperate need from other countries as well as the international community. Hence, the CPR meeting agreed to first dispatch a delegation headed by the Secretary General to Kyrgyzstan to consider the situation in a closer perspective and to transmit a cash contribution as emergency aid to this country.
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