Blinken: US giving $10M more in aid for Pakistan

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $10 million in new aid for food security in Pakistan as record flooding continues to affect tens of millions of people in that country. The flooding, blamed in part on climate change, killed nearly 1,600 people, damaged nearly 2 million homes and overall wreaked damage estimated at more than $30 billion. Nearly 15% of Pakistan’s rice crop and 40% of its cotton crop were lost, according to officials. The waters also wiped out the personal grain stores that many farming families rely on for food yearlong.

Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State said “We've been able to send about 17 planes full of supplies like food and materials to build shelters, tents, tarps. And today, I'm pleased to announce another $10 million in food security assistance, which will provide... This will provide urgent supplies to help farmers recover, like seeds and fertilizer, assistance repairing critical irrigation infrastructure damaged by the floods."

 The flooding has been a blow to Pakistan’s important cash crops. Losses will mean lower exports of rice, which earned $2 billion in 2020. Cotton losses could hurt the country’s biggest export, textiles and clothes, which brought in more than $20 billion annually in recent years.