Islamabad, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb held a meeting with H.E. Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Secretary General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific of UNDP, along with the Country Representative of UNDP in Pakistan. The meeting aimed to discuss collaboration between the Government of Pakistan and UNDP in addressing key developmental challenges and promoting sustainable development.
According to Ministry of Finance, Minister Aurangzeb expressed his gratitude to Ms. Wignaraja and the UNDP Pakistan Country Office team for their continuous support, particularly during critical times like the 2022 floods. He also appreciated UNDP’s role in mobilizing national and international expertise for inclusive and innovative development financing in Pakistan.
The Minister outlined the government’s focus on policy reforms to unlock the country’s growth potential and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to engaging with UNDP to achieve shared goals such as reducing poverty, increasing prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. He also mentioned that Pakistan has begun discussions with the IMF for an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to support the government’s economic reform agenda.
Ms. Wignaraja praised Pakistan’s dedication to sustainable development and assured UNDP’s continued support for the country’s developmental efforts. She emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration and partnership between Pakistan and UNDP to address both challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in the region.
Additionally, Ms. Wignaraja presented a copy of the newly released UNDP report titled “Doing Digital for Development” to Minister Aurangzeb. The report is specifically tailored for Pakistan, emphasizing the role of digital technologies in advancing development initiatives within the country.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to continued collaboration and partnership to overcome Pakistan’s developmental challenges and achieve sustainable development goals.