The Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar led Pakistan’s delegation in a high level Roundtable on Pakistan’s Floods - Impact and Response. This event, organized by the World Bank, was co-chaired by Mr. Martin Raiser, Vice President for South Asia, World Bank and Mr. Nigel Casey, UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Roundtable was attended by senior representatives of all major bilateral and multilateral partners and donors. Initial findings of Pakistan’s post-disaster need assessment which are jointly prepared by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, EU and the GoP were presented in the Roundtable. The participants expressed their sympathies on the tragic loss of life and property due to the devastating floods in Pakistan. In his concluding remarks, Finance Minister emphasized the need to provide adequate support to Pakistan to meet the challenges of recovery and rehabilitation. In his meeting with Mr. Jihad Azour Director MCD IMF, Finance Minister discussed implementation of the IMF program. Mr Azour sympathized for the losses caused by the flood. He appreciated the GoP’s commitment in implementing the ongoing IMF Program and assured of continued support by the Fund. The Minister met with Ms. Vicky Ford, United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Development in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). He thanked the UK Government for humanitarian assistance and financial support to meet the challenges posed by the devastating floods. He also appreciated the trade concessions accorded to Pakistan and other developing countries under the DCTS Scheme. The Minister also shared the GoP’s vision for stabilizing the economy and carrying out sustainable and resilient recovery. Minister Ford conveyed the condolences of the UK government on the devastation caused by the floods and appreciated the government’s rescue and relief efforts. She reiterated the United Kingdom’s continued support for Pakistan during this difficult period. The Finance Minister in his meeting with H.E. Sultan Abdur Rehman Almurshed, CEO Saudi Fund for Development, conveyed the GoP’s deep gratitude for the support provided by the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during all challenging times for Pakistan. He also welcomed the upcoming visit of the Saudi Fund team to Pakistan. H.E. Almurshed conveyed condolences on the tragic loss of life and damages caused by the floods. He assured that the SFD would continue to work with and support the GoP. Mr. Ramin Toloui, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and Mr. Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia Bureau, U.S. Department of State called on the Finance Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan to express United States Government’s solidarity with the Government and the people of Pakistan on the tragic loss of life and property due to the floods. They assured continuous US support for recovery and relief efforts of the GoP. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed. The Finance Minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to implement the ongoing IMF program along with highlighting the economic priorities of the government in his interviews to Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, AP and AFP and in a subsequent evening engagement at the Pakistan house with senior representatives of various think thanks and US media. The Finance Minister along with Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also attended the 2022 Annual Plenary of the IMF / World Bank. The delegation members met senior representative of UNCTAD and participated in several events being held on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings including meeting the leadership of the US Pakistan Business Council and representatives of major US multi-national companies operating in Pakistan. The Finance Minister is leading Pakistan’s delegation in the IMF / World Bank’s 2022 Annual meetings being held in Washington DC. Other delegates include Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha, Minister of State for Finance & Revenue, Mr. Jameel Ahmed, Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Mr. Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, Finance Secretary, Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary Economic Affairs Division and Mr. Ali Tahir, Additional Secretary, Finance Division.
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