The US has announced USD 25 million aid for the flood relief work in Pakistan, taking the total humanitarian fund to the inundation ravaged nation to USD 35 million.

 “The need for response to this disaster is urgent, and even as we triple our financial commitment we remain flexible so we can meet new needs as they arise,” said USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah.

 “We remain committed to working in support of the Government of Pakistan to identify gaps in assistance where USAID can be of assistance,” he said.

 The assistance includes a USD 15 million contribution to the UN World Food Programme – primarily for the local and regional purchase of food aid and the dispatch of food from USAID’s prepositioning site – and USD 10 million to expand existing emergency and aid programmes that address needs identified by the Government of Pakistan.

At a special news conference held at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, Dan Feldman, the Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said the US is also actively working to mobilise other nations to join in this effort.

 “We have already started receiving a number of significant contributions from the European Commission, from the UK, from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan, many others, which we’re just at the beginning of the process in coordinating,” Feldman told reporters.