Pakistan, UK agree to finalise new assistance programme
May include TDPs in priority areas for grant assistance
PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The United Kingdom has hinted at including temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) in its priority areas for giving grant in the next 10 years, as both countries agreed to commence negotiations to finalise a new bilateral development assistance programme.
Contours of the next development partnership agreement were discussed during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office between Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and UK Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening.
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Senior officials of the Finance Division, Economic Affairs Division and the UK High Commission also attended the meeting.
Both sides agreed to start formal discussions for finalising the new development partnership agreement for the next 10 years, according to an official statement released by the Ministry of Finance.
They also agreed to incorporate mutually agreed areas of cooperation into the new plan.
The current agreement (2006-16) is due to expire in September this year, under which UK taxpayers committed 2.2 billion British pounds in assistance to Pakistan. This was the largest bilateral aid programme, run by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK in any country.
For the next fiscal year 2016-17, Pakistan has not listed any financial assistance from the UK.
An official of the finance ministry said the likely areas of future cooperation would be governance, poverty alleviation, tax reforms and assistance for displaced people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
“The aid for displaced people is likely to be the new priority area to be included in the programme,” said the official.
Pakistan launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb in June 2014 to flush out militants and extremist elements from tribal areas. This also resulted in one of the largest displacements of people in the country’s history and hundreds of thousands are still living in camps.
In the previous budget, the government had allocated Rs100 billion in the name of TDPs but its utilisation remained far below the allocation.
In the new budget, another Rs100 billion has been earmarked for the TDPs. About 45% of this allocation goes to the military for meeting its requirements in those areas.
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The official said the UK had not yet indicated whether it would include budgetary support in the next 10-year programme. It has given a significant amount in budgetary assistance in recent years.
The finance ministry statement said matters pertaining to Pak-UK economic cooperation were discussed. The two sides also exchanged views on different aspects of international development.
The finance minister apprised Greening of efforts made by the government for the revival of economy and consequent improvement in economic indicators in the past three years.
He also acknowledged the support of development partners including the DFID for economic reform initiatives of the government.
He apprised Greening of the success achieved as a result of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, adding the gains made against militancy and extremism were now being consolidated through the reconstruction of tribal areas as well as through administrative and governance reforms.
Greening stated that the UK was a long-time partner of Pakistan and would continue to support the reform initiatives aimed at enhancing economic growth and development.
She said the government of Pakistan had risen to the challenge in the last three years and improvements in the security situation were visible and encouraging.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2016.
The United Kingdom has hinted at including temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) in its priority areas for giving grant in the next 10 years, as both countries agreed to commence negotiations to finalise a new bilateral development assistance programme.
Contours of the next development partnership agreement were discussed during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office between Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and UK Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening.
IMF to provide $510 million aid tranche to Pakistan
Senior officials of the Finance Division, Economic Affairs Division and the UK High Commission also attended the meeting.
Both sides agreed to start formal discussions for finalising the new development partnership agreement for the next 10 years, according to an official statement released by the Ministry of Finance.
They also agreed to incorporate mutually agreed areas of cooperation into the new plan.
The current agreement (2006-16) is due to expire in September this year, under which UK taxpayers committed 2.2 billion British pounds in assistance to Pakistan. This was the largest bilateral aid programme, run by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK in any country.
For the next fiscal year 2016-17, Pakistan has not listed any financial assistance from the UK.
An official of the finance ministry said the likely areas of future cooperation would be governance, poverty alleviation, tax reforms and assistance for displaced people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
“The aid for displaced people is likely to be the new priority area to be included in the programme,” said the official.
Pakistan launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb in June 2014 to flush out militants and extremist elements from tribal areas. This also resulted in one of the largest displacements of people in the country’s history and hundreds of thousands are still living in camps.
In the previous budget, the government had allocated Rs100 billion in the name of TDPs but its utilisation remained far below the allocation.
In the new budget, another Rs100 billion has been earmarked for the TDPs. About 45% of this allocation goes to the military for meeting its requirements in those areas.
Chinese Exim Bank to pitch in $20 million for Nawabshah-Sanghar road
The official said the UK had not yet indicated whether it would include budgetary support in the next 10-year programme. It has given a significant amount in budgetary assistance in recent years.
The finance ministry statement said matters pertaining to Pak-UK economic cooperation were discussed. The two sides also exchanged views on different aspects of international development.
The finance minister apprised Greening of efforts made by the government for the revival of economy and consequent improvement in economic indicators in the past three years.
He also acknowledged the support of development partners including the DFID for economic reform initiatives of the government.
He apprised Greening of the success achieved as a result of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, adding the gains made against militancy and extremism were now being consolidated through the reconstruction of tribal areas as well as through administrative and governance reforms.
Greening stated that the UK was a long-time partner of Pakistan and would continue to support the reform initiatives aimed at enhancing economic growth and development.
She said the government of Pakistan had risen to the challenge in the last three years and improvements in the security situation were visible and encouraging.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2016.