Humanitarian issues top talks between Secretary-General and Pakistani leader

Humanitarian conditions in north-western Pakistan, the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan and the inquiry into the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto topped the agenda during talks between Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

Mr. Ban and Mr. Zardari also discussed this Thursday’s meeting of the Group of Friends of Democratic Pakistan, issues of regional cooperation and Pakistan’s troop contributions to UN peacekeeping operations during their talks yesterday in New York, according to a read-out provided by a UN spokesperson.

Yesterday’s discussions were one of a series of bilateral talks Mr. Ban is holding with world leaders this week as they gather at UN Headquarters for the summit on climate change and the start of the annual high-level segment of the General Assembly.

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has revised upwards its flash appeal for aid to Pakistan, where hundreds of thousands of people remain uprooted by conflict in the northwest of the country.

The appeal has been revised from $542 million to $680 million, according to Elisabeth Byrs, a spokesperson for OCHA, and as of today some $308 million is still needed.