UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to Pakistan next week for a solidarity visit in the wake of a historic flooding, his spokesman said on Tuesday.
The UN chief is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Sept. 9, and will then travel to the areas most impacted by the unprecedented climate catastrophe, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, told a regular press briefing.
"The secretary-general will meet with displaced families and will also witness how we are working, in collaboration with our humanitarian partners, to support the (Pakistani) government's relief efforts and provide assistance to millions of people," Dujarric said.
In a video message Tuesday on the launch of flash appeal for 160 million U.S. dollars to help Pakistan deal with the devastating flooding, Guterres urged the international community to step up in solidarity and support the people of Pakistan in their hour of need.
The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids, Guterres said, noting that the scale of needs is rising like the flood waters, and "it requires the world's collective and prioritized attention." ■
