IOM has handed over 858 tents donated by the United States
government to Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) to replenish contingency stocks depleted by successive
natural disasters.

"Whenever a natural disaster strikes, rapid response is crucial.
These tents will enable Pakistan's government to respond quickly
and effectively in order to prevent the loss of life and reduce
suffering (in future disasters)," said Karen Freeman, Deputy
Director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in
Pakistan.

The handover marked the end of a successful 18-month partnership
between USAID, IOM and the NDMA to respond to the vast humanitarian
needs created by the catastrophic floods that struck Pakistan in
2010 and 2011.

Over the past two years US funding administered by IOM helped
the NDMA to procure and distribute some 7,425 tents and 70,000
family ration packs. It also paid for the transport of 725
truckloads of relief goods across the country and the hiring of 80
NDMA staff, including advisors, sectoral and technical specialists,
logistics, communications, media liaison and support staff.

NDMA operations chief Brig. Sajid Naeem thanked USAID and IOM
for their support. "In addition to providing much needed relief and
logistics support, this programme was very helpful in that it
enhanced the technical capacity of NDMA to respond to these
disasters," he said.

For more information please contact:

the Pakistan Emergency and Stabilization Support Unit

E-mail: "mailto:pessu@iom.int">pessu@iom.int

or

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Islamabad

Tel: +92.300.856.0341

E-mail: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int">srehmat@iom.int