Islamabad, A meeting was held between the Minister for Economic Affairs, Mr. Ahad Khan Cheema, and Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, United Nations Assistant Secretary General (ASG), Asia, and the Pacific, to discuss cooperation on development initiatives. Other attendees included Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, and Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. The UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Samuel Rizk, DRR Ms. Van Ngyuyen, ARR Rana Qaiser, Mr. Mustafa, and officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs were also present.

According to Press Information Department, the Minister for Economic Affairs expressed appreciation to the UNDP for its support and assistance to Pakistan, especially during the 2022 floods, and for its role in supporting the International Partners’ Support Group (IPSG). He acknowledged UNDP’s critical role in providing assistance to the country and affirmed the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to furthering cooperation in addressing the financing gap in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ms. Wignaraja thanked the minister for the strong partnership and collaborative efforts on key development issues, including poverty reduction, climate change, financing instruments, and advancing SDGs. She agreed to strengthen cooperation between the government of Pakistan and the UNDP in these areas and pledged full support in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Affairs to explore innovative financing for climate change and social sector projects.

The meeting also highlighted the need for cooperation between the UNDP and the Government of Pakistan to support capacity building for polio workers and address a pending census on HIV/AIDS patients. The Coordinators to the Prime Minister on Climate Change and National Health Services emphasized these points.

In his closing remarks, the Minister for Economic Affairs thanked the UNDP team for their ongoing support and stressed the importance of aligning UNDP projects with national development objectives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He also highlighted the need for better visibility of off-budget projects to ensure alignment with national priorities.