(Ottawa) The federal government will match donations from Canadians helping the people of Pakistan struggling with a humanitarian emergency caused by severe flooding.
Posted at 2:29 p.m.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday that donations made by September 28 to any of the 12 aid organizations that make up the Humanitarian Coalition will be matched by Ottawa, up to a maximum of $3 million.
Canada will also send an additional $25 million to Pakistan to meet immediate needs and support development projects.
Heavy rains that accompany the monsoon for the past three months have flooded more than a third of the country. The provision of food and water, sewage treatment services and emergency health programs are now essential for the people of this country.
More than 33 million people are affected in the country, and with much of the agricultural land flooded, the Pakistani government fears an impending food shortage.
Canadian Minister for International Development, Harjit Sajjan, is currently in Pakistan to witness the scale of the humanitarian crisis and the humanitarian response on the ground.
“We cannot forget the people of Pakistan, especially the women and girls who have been disproportionately affected,” Minister Sajjan said in a statement. We continue to look for other ways to continue our efforts to help those affected by this tragedy. »