I am pleased to announce Australia will provide a further $50 million to help victims of the calamitous 8 October earthquake in Pakistan to survive the winter and to reconstruct communities in the longer-term.
This new assistance, to be delivered through the Government's aid agency, AusAID, will include approximately $10 million in fresh emergency relief to assist multilateral organisations working on the ground, including the International Organisation for Migration, UNICEF and the Red Cross to address the health impacts of the disaster, provide emergency transitional shelter and assist the reestablishment of schools.
Australia will also contribute $40 million to the reconstruction effort with a focus on rebuilding schools and other educational facilities, as well as health facilities.
Some of this funding will support the reconstruction programs of the multilateral development banks. Other funding will be channelled through a new Reconstruction Facility which will be established to help source Australian professional expertise such as engineers, urban planners and architects to respond to urgent and emerging reconstruction needs. I also envisage a role for Australian volunteers in the reconstruction effort.
These contributions have been informed by Australia's two-week Critical Infrastructure Assessment Mission which provided valuable engineering assessment and advice to the Pakistan Government.
The latest contribution brings Australia's total funding commitment for earthquake relief and reconstruction to approximately $65 million.
In addition the Australian Defence Force has deployed a medical team to the earthquake zone around Muzaffarabad to provide essential primary health care services for 3 months at a cost of approximately $18-20 million.
The 8 October earthquake devastated Pakistan, with the UN estimating around 73,000 deaths and 70,000 injured so far. More than 3 million people are homeless. The onset of harsh winter conditions in the affected area will impact severely on those left homeless by the earthquake.
I warmly welcome the outcome of the 19 November International Donors' Conference in Islamabad which saw pledges totalling $US5.8 billion ($7.9 billion) in new relief and reconstruction assistance from the international community. Australia's fresh assistance, which I am announcing today, will be coordinated carefully with that of other donors to ensure it best addresses the needs of those most affected by the tragedy.
Images for the media are available at - www.ausaid.gov.au/downloads