Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar, the Minister for Economic Affairs chaired a high-level Portfolio Review Meeting of UK-Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office's (UK-FCDO) projects in Pakistan.
During the meeting, on-going and pipeline projects worth of 2.2 billion Pounds and 706 million Pounds respectively in Pakistan were reviewed under UK-FCDO.
The Minister for Economic Affairs appreciated and thanked the Government of UK and FCDO as one of the largest trading and development partners of Pakistan. He thanked & appreciated the UK for providing assistance worth 2.6 million Pounds in grant to combat COVID-19 and 2 million Pounds to curtail the spread of locust in the country. He also commended the UK-FCDO’s assistance to Pakistan in the education sector through KP & Punjab Education Sector Programmes, poverty reduction through Pakistan National Cash Transfer Programmes-BISP & skill development through Pakistan Skill Development Programme in the country.
Ms. Annabel Gerry, Director, Development, FCDO gave a detailed presentation on the portfolio and highlighted important projects contributing to Pakistan’s development.
Secretary EAD, while thanking UK-FCDO, underscored the need to initiate new long- term development partnership agreement for future development.
The Minister for Economic Affairs underlined the need for consultation with the Government of Pakistan for designing and reporting of the off-budget projects in future. He apprised the UK-FCDO about ‘Off-Budget Policy Framework’ being developed by EAD. He suggested that future UK-FCDO portfolio may also focus on priority areas such as support to BISP, skill development, supply chain in agriculture, Westward connectivity, scholarships, tourism development, mitigating climate change and low-cost housing scheme.
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