Samantha Power expresses gratitude to the people of Pakistan
Our mission is to help Pakistan brace Climate challenges: Ms. Power
“The efforts by Ms. (Samantha Jane ) Power are reflection of her commitment to assist people of Pakistan and forge a strong and deep partnership between Pakistan and the US.”
“In recognition of her outstanding contribution towards strengthening Pakistan-U.S. relations, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to confer upon Ms. Samantha Power, Hilal-e-Quaid-i-Azam (Civil),” stated the citation that was read on the occasion while awarding USAID Administrator with the national award.
Ms. Power is serving as the 19thAdministrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) since May 2021.
She is proponent of strong Pakistan-US cooperation in humanitarian and socio-economic sectors like health, education and climate change and promoting people to people exchanges.
“As USAID administrator, she was instrumental in provision of significant life-saving US humanitarian assistance to mitigate the disastrous impacts of the floods in 2022,” the citation said.
Thanking the people of Pakistan for the award, Samantha Power in her vide message said that the award was a testament to the enduring partnership between USAID and the Pakistani people.
In a heart-touching message she recalled the devastation when one third of Pakistan was inundated due to biblical floods in 2022.
“I will never forget visiting Pakistan in September of 2022. Flying over the floods, feeling sure that I was flying over an ocean, only to be reminded that the ocean was in fact hundreds of miles away. And there were entire towns submerged under the seemingly infinite expanse of water below,” Ms. Power stated in her statement.
She highlighted the support from the highest levels of the White House and both houses of the US Congress that facilitated an assistance of $215 million to the flood affected people. She also highlighted the support from private American citizens and American companies who rallied to Pakistan’s aid, donating more than $37 million to support the relief efforts.
“Our mission is helping the people of Pakistan to improve water management systems, build markets for Climate Smart Agriculture technologies and techniques and mobilized climate adaptation finance under the US-Pakistan green Alliance initiative,” Ms. Power said.
“We remain committed to standing with Pakistan as it continues the long and difficult recovery from the floods while building a more resilient and more prosperous future,” she added.
Congratulating Ms. Power on receiving national award of Pakistan, Ambassador Masood Khan said that Ms. Power is a true friend of the people of Pakistan. We will never forget her humanitarian services at a time when we needed them the most. With her leadership qualities, she has not only further cemented people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the United States but raised the stature of USAID as an organization.
Washington DC, 23 March 2024
