EU pledges €87m for three uplift schemes

To support green and inclusive economic growth in Pakistan, Dr Kazim Niaz, Secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs and Dr Riina Kionka, Ambassador of the European Union have signed agreements for three new development programmes with funding of €87 million by the European Union.

With a focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan, the new programmes will improve agricultural value chains, provide access to clean energy and enhance the availability of the skilled labour force.

The programmes are part of the European Union’s support to Pakistan in post-flood rehabilitation and reconstruction.

These three programmes are designed in close cooperation with the federal and provincial governments and are part of the broader coordination efforts by the EU and its member states materialised through the Team Europe Initiative.

They also contribute to the EU’s Global Gateway, the European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.

Secretary EAD Dr Kazim Niaz expressed gratitude for EU support and further said that “EU is the most valued development partner to Pakistan as it held a substantial grant portfolio in Pakistan wherein its focus is, in particular, on the socioeconomic development of vulnerable communities.

Clean and green energy is a yardstick for any sustainable development, EU support in this particular area is necessary for providing desired impetus to all such efforts by Pakistan”.

He further expressed his hopes that these three financing agreements will further contribute towards strengthening socioeconomic indicators, as the rural economic transformation, provision of cheap energy and imparting much-needed technical training for the youth can greatly benefit poor communities.

Ambassador Dr Riina Kionka pointed out: “Pakistan has a huge potential thanks to its people and natural resources. The programmes we have signed today help to harness that potential by giving Pakistanis the skills to get good jobs, by helping them to use sustainable techniques for agriculture and by providing them access to clean and green energy.”

“Our support comes at a crucial moment, as the country is grappling with an economic crisis and people are still struggling with the effects of the terrible floods. We hope that the three programmes signed today contribute to economic recovery in the aftermath of the floods and make Pakistan stronger and more resilient,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2023.