Letter
Letter to USAID Administrator Phillips Regarding U.S. Assistance to Pakistan in Wake of Catastrophic Flooding, September 15, 2022
September 15, 2022
Mr. Adam Phillips
Deputy Assistant Administrator (Acting)
Director, Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
United States Agency for International Development
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20523
Dear Mr. Phillips:
As Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace for the Catholic bishops of the United States, I write to express my concern about the recent news involving catastrophic flooding in Pakistan. Over a thousand people have drowned and many thousands more have been injured in an area that reportedly covers one-third of the country. Whole villages have been impacted, and it is also reported that 1.7 million homes have washed away. Furthermore, the livelihoods of countless subsistence farmers have been significantly affected as agricultural lands have been flooded and crops and livestock have been destroyed. Food and clean water are in extremely short supply while roads, bridges, dams, health clinics, and other infrastructure are severely damaged.
I write to urge that the U.S. government extend all possible aid to Pakistan. I commend USAID for its quick response in providing over $26 million in humanitarian assistance to flood-affected households to deal with food insecurity, sanitation, and hygiene but more is needed. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has a long history of working in Pakistan, focusing on disaster response, water/sanitation, and livelihoods assistance to vulnerable communities. I appreciate USAID’s cooperation in working with faith-based organizations such as CRS and their partners that are on the ground to collaborate in the provision of assistance in this time of dire emergency.
With thanks for your attention to this very serious situation, I am
Sincerely yours,
Most Reverend David J. Malloy
Bishop of Rockford
Chairman, Committee on International Justice and Peace