Effects of climate change increasing in Asia, WMO says

A general view of a flooded area after heavy monsoon rains is pictured from atop a bridge in Charsadda district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan on August 27, 2022. (AFP/File)
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Updated 27 July 2023
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Effects of climate change increasing in Asia, WMO says

  • World Meteorological Organization recorded 81 weather-related disasters last year that affected over 50 million people
  • It mentioned monsoon rains and glacial melt in Pakistan that inundated swathes of the country, destroyed infrastructure

GENEVA: Extreme weather events ranging from droughts to large-scale floods and other effects of climate change are on the rise in Asia and bound to affect food security and the continent’s ecosystems, the World Meteorological Organization said.

In a report published on Thursday, WMO said Asia was the world’s most disaster-impacted region, with 81 weather, climate and water-related disasters recorded last year, the majority of which were floods and storms.

It said these calamities had directly affected more than 50 million people and caused more than 5,000 deaths.

These included floods from record monsoon rains in Pakistan and glacial melt that killed more than 1,500 people, inundating swathes of the country and washing away homes and transportation infrastructure.

China, in turn, suffered drought, which affected the power supply and the availability of water.

The WMO report also highlighted that most glaciers the High-Mountain Asia region had loss significant mass as a result of warm and dry conditions in 2022.

“This will have major implications for future food and water security and ecosystems,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.


Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing

Updated 09 January 2026
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Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing

  • Delegation briefed on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia
  • Visit reflects close defense cooperation, including a bilateral security pact signed last year

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi defense delegation visited Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday to learn about Islamabad’s diplomatic priorities and engagements as the two countries strengthen security collaboration and consult more closely on regional and international issues.

The visit comes amid sustained high-level engagement between Islamabad and Riyadh, with regular contacts spanning defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.

A 15-member delegation from the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Command and Staff College met officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said an official statement.

“The visit of the delegation to Pakistan is a manifestation of excellent defense and security relations between the two countries,” the foreign ministry said.

It added that officials briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s foreign policy issues and bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, followed by an interactive session.

The head of the delegation thanked Pakistani authorities for facilitating the visit, the statement said.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain close defense and security cooperation, including training exchanges and joint exercises.

In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement under which aggression against one would be treated as a threat to the other.

While Saudi diplomats are regular visitors to the Pakistani foreign ministry, such visits by defense delegations are rare, reflecting that the two sides seek to understand each other’s defense and diplomatic perspectives more closely.