Karachi, In a critical meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, Caretaker Chief Minister Sindh Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqir and World Bank South Asia Regional Vice President Mr. Martin Raiser discussed the $2.2 billion World Bank portfolio. They agreed to expedite work on ongoing projects in Sindh, with the World Bank set to start releasing funds to ensure timely completion.

According to Chief Minister’s Office, the meeting focused on the World Bank’s Accelerated Action Plan to Reduce Stunting and Malnutrition in Sindh, which aims to reduce stunting from 30 percent to 15 percent by 2026. The Chief Minister and the World Bank Regional Chief discussed adopting a broader approach to tackle stunting, including important environmental factors like access to safe water, sanitation, and waste management. Additionally, the Chief Minister highlighted the support from UNICEF through a rolling work plan for 2023-24, with a grant of $50.573 million, and a €6.1 million grant from the European Union for strengthening local civil society and community-based organizations in Sindh’s nutrition sector.

The meeting also addressed challenges faced by some World Bank projects in the region. The Chief Minister noted that recent changes in government and the transfer of a large number of officers might have impacted the progress of these projects. Chairman P&D Shakeel Manganijo pointed out delays in the release of World Bank funds as a significant cause for the slow pace of projects. A consensus was reached that the P&D and World Bank team would work collaboratively to remove all bottlenecks and accelerate the progress of ongoing projects.

This meeting underscores a strong commitment from both the Sindh government and the World Bank to enhance the pace of development projects in the region, focusing on critical areas such as health, nutrition, and environmental factors affecting public welfare.