U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome explores beauty of Gilgit-Baltistan during personal visit
Gilgit, September 19, 2023: U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Donald Blome arrived in Hunza Valley Gilgit-Baltistan on a personal visit.
He visited the renowned Attabad Lake, where Mr. Abdul Basit, the Provincial Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided details about the Attabad landslide disaster and its impacts on the lives, livelihoods, infrastructure and climate of the area.
Ambassador Blome’s then visited the Passu Glacier site.
During his visit to Passu Glacier, Mr. Abdul Basit briefed the U.S. Ambassador on the flagship project of Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination and UNDP Named “Scaling-up of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risk Reduction in Northern Pakistan (GLOF-II).”
Mr. Basit elaborated the core objectives of the GLOF-II Project, highlighting the installation of Early Warning Systems in most vulnerable valleys of Gilgit Baltistan in partnership with Government of Gilgit-Baltistan.
He also highlighted the significance of Small-Scale Flood Mitigation infrastructure, Repair Maintenance, and Renovation of Irrigation infrastructure, along with the establishment of Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Centers and Safe Havens.
These initiatives are designed to enhance the region’s resilience against potential climate change induced disasters.
Ambassador Blome commended the UNDP’s collaborative efforts with the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan under the GLOF-II Project and expressed hope that this endeavor would significantly benefit vulnerable communities, enabling them to become more resilient in the face of climate change.
