Latest news with #SindhFloodEmergencyHousingReconstructionProject
Business Recorder
25-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Reforms key to recovery, poverty reduction for Pakistan: World Bank
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's path to sustainable economic recovery and poverty alleviation rests on comprehensive reforms that prioritise human capital, macroeconomic stability, climate resilience, sustainable energy, and private sector growth. This was stated by the World Bank Managing Director for Operations, Anna Bjerde, at the conclusion of a two-day visit to Pakistan. She commended the authorities for the reform momentum and stressed the need for continuity in implementation to sustain economic stability and to elicit a stronger investment and growth response by the private sector. Pakistan's economic turnaround wins global recognition: World Bank Anna Bjerde met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed her appreciation for the collaboration on the new 10-year World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework with Pakistan. They also discussed the need for coordinated reforms at the federal and provincial levels to ensure sustained and inclusive growth. The World Bank official said, 'during my visit, we discussed the next steps on the reform agenda of the government, especially in the fiscal, digital, and energy sectors, as well as the potential of the country in terms of private-led growth and entrepreneurship, particularly to create quality jobs for women and youth.' She also met the Minister of Economic Affairs and Governor of the World Bank Group, Ahad Khan Cheema; the Minister of Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb; the Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal; the Minister of Energy (Power Division), Sardar Awais Laghari; the Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah; the Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme, Rubina Khalid; the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Rashid Mahmood Langrial; as well as members of the National Assembly, the Senate, women leaders and other senior government representatives. The discussions focused on implementing the Country Partnership Framework to help address the most critical socio-economic challenges of the country, in terms of human capital development, particularly for women and girls, access to water and sanitation, climate resilience, and natural disaster risk reduction, and the foundations of private-led growth and job creation. Bjerde had the opportunity to visit the World Bank-supported project sites in Shaheed Benazirabad District in Sindh, where she was accompanied by Chief Minister Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, and Sindh Minister of Health, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho. She and the World Bank delegation were hosted by the First Lady of Pakistan and member of National Assembly, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. The visit included meetings with beneficiaries and staff of the 2022 Sindh Flood Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project, as well as an exchange with the medical staff and female patients of a Basic Health Unit supported by the National Health Support Programme. While in Sindh, Bjerde exchanged with Chief Minister Shah and members of his Cabinet on ongoing and planned projects to support the development of the province. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Reforms key to recovery, poverty reduction: WB
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's path to sustainable economic recovery and poverty alleviation rests on comprehensive reforms that prioritise human capital, macroeconomic stability, climate resilience, sustainable energy, and private sector growth. This was stated by the World Bank Managing Director for Operations, Anna Bjerde, at the conclusion of a two-day visit to Pakistan. She commended the authorities for the reform momentum and stressed the need for continuity in implementation to sustain economic stability and to elicit a stronger investment and growth response by the private sector. Pakistan's economic turnaround wins global recognition: World Bank Anna Bjerde met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed her appreciation for the collaboration on the new 10-year World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework with Pakistan. They also discussed the need for coordinated reforms at the federal and provincial levels to ensure sustained and inclusive growth. The World Bank official said, 'during my visit, we discussed the next steps on the reform agenda of the government, especially in the fiscal, digital, and energy sectors, as well as the potential of the country in terms of private-led growth and entrepreneurship, particularly to create quality jobs for women and youth.' She also met the Minister of Economic Affairs and Governor of the World Bank Group, Ahad Khan Cheema; the Minister of Finance and Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb; the Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal; the Minister of Energy (Power Division), Sardar Awais Laghari; the Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah; the Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme, Rubina Khalid; the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Rashid Mahmood Langrial; as well as members of the National Assembly, the Senate, women leaders and other senior government representatives. The discussions focused on implementing the Country Partnership Framework to help address the most critical socio-economic challenges of the country, in terms of human capital development, particularly for women and girls, access to water and sanitation, climate resilience, and natural disaster risk reduction, and the foundations of private-led growth and job creation. Bjerde had the opportunity to visit the World Bank-supported project sites in Shaheed Benazirabad District in Sindh, where she was accompanied by Chief Minister Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, and Sindh Minister of Health, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho. She and the World Bank delegation were hosted by First Lady of Pakistan and member of National Assembly, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari. The visit included meetings with beneficiaries and staff of the 2022 Sindh Flood Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project, as well as an exchange with the medical staff and female patients of a Basic Health Unit supported by the National Health Support Programme. While in Sindh, Bjerde exchanged with Chief Minister Shah and members of his Cabinet on ongoing and planned projects to support the development of the province. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
24-04-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Sindh CM, Islamic Development Bank discuss housing, women empowerment projects
ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan's southern Sindh province discussed housing for flood affectees and women empowerment projects with a high-level delegation of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), state-run media reported on Thursday. The IsDB is financing $200 million for the reconstruction of houses for those affected by the catastrophic 2022 floods. Torrential rains and melting glaciers triggered flash floods across the country that killed over 1,700 people and caused damages worth $33 billion, according to Pakistan's estimates. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah met an IsDB delegation led by its Regional Director, Dr. Walid Abdelwahab, to discuss the Sindh Flood Emergency Housing Reconstruction Project (SFEHRP) and the Sindh Integrated Health and Women Empowerment Project. Both projects involve collaboration with the World Bank, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. 'The chief minister welcomed Dr. Abdelwahab and expressed gratitude for the IsDB's support in rebuilding homes for the flood-affected population,' APP reported. Shah said the Sindh government, in partnership with international collaborators and NGOs, is actively implementing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects in various districts to improve public health, particularly in flood-affected and underserved communities. 'In response to the chief minister's request, the IsDB agreed to provide additional support for the WASH project,' the report said. Shah stressed that the SFEHRP and WASH projects have been designed to enable owner-driven, multi-hazard-resilient reconstruction of core housing units following the 2022 floods. The Sindh Integrated Health and Women Empowerment Project is a $280 million initiative that includes financing of $50 million from the IsDB, $30 million from the Sindh government, and $200 million from foreign fund assistance (FFA). Shah explained that the project aims to enhance the utilization and quality of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services for poor and vulnerable populations, particularly adolescents and women, in targeted areas of the province. 'The process to hire a third-party firm to oversee the skill development of 6,000 eligible women has begun in consultation with the IsDB,' the APP said. As part of the program, 124 government dispensaries will be rehabilitated and upgraded, with diagnostic and preliminary design reports already completed, the state-run media said.
