Pakistan is in the midst of the worst natural disaster of its history. This strategically critical nation has been ravaged by unprecedented floods which have inundated one-fifth of the country, affected upwards of 20 million people, and caused billions of dollars in losses. The United Nations and a number of concerned countries have made several appeals to the international community to come forward and help Pakistan in its hour of need. Despite this, the global response has been less than enthusiastic as compared to other recent major calamities such as the 2010 Haitian earthquake of the 2008 Asian tsunami. For the U.S., a strong response to help the Pakistani people is particularly important, given its bilateral partnership and the image deficit America suffers in Pakistan. Indeed, the U.S. has been at the forefront of the global relief effort; it is the single largest bilateral donor and is committed to providing further support in the reconstruction phase.

At the event "Relief Efforts in the Wake of the Pakistani Floods," experts will assessed the relief efforts thus far and analyzed the challenges ahead, the next steps for donors, and implications of relief assistance for the future of the Pakistan-U.S. relationship.

The event featured the following speakers:

• Mark Ward, Panelist

  Acting Director
  USAID/OFDA

• Rabih Torbay, Panelist

  Vice President of International Operations
  International Medical Corps

• Moeed Yusuf, Panelist

  South Asia Adviser
  U.S. Institute of Peace

• Abiodun Williams, Moderator
  Vice President, Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention
  U.S. Institute of Peace