Round table on Pakistan floods' impact, response held in Washington

A high-level round table meeting on 'Pakistan's Floods: Impact and Response' was held in Washington, it was reported on Friday.

All major bilateral and multilateral development partners and donors attended the round table discussion. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar led the Pakistani delegation in the meeting.

Initial findings of Pakistan's post-disaster need assessment jointly prepared by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), European Union (EU) and government of Pakistan were presented at the meeting.

In his concluding remarks, Dar emphasized the need to provide adequate support to Pakistan to meet the challenges of recovery and rehabilitation.

Additionally, Dar met the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director for Middle East and Central Asia Department Jihad Azour in Washington, and discussed implementation of the IMF programme.

The IMF director sympathised for the losses caused by the floods and assured the IMF's support.

Read Dar assures IMF of govt’s pledge

US Assistant Secretaries Ramin Toloui and Donald Lu also met Dar and assured continued US support for Pakistan's relief and recovery efforts.

CEO Saudi Fund for Development

The finance minister also held a meeting with the CEO of Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Abdul Rehman Al Murshid in Washington.

Dar conveyed Pakistan's deep gratitude for the support provided by Saudi Arabia at all times and welcomed the forthcoming visit of the Saudi Fund for Development's team to Pakistan.

The CEO of the fund assured continued support to Pakistan.

Further, Dar met the UK's minister of state for foreign, commonwealth and development office and thanked the UK government for providing financial support and assistance to meet the challenges posed by the floods.

The UK assured of its continued support and the two minsiters discussed ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation.