World Bank expresses support for Pakistan’s development programme

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb discussed the country partnership framework and development priorities with Managing Director of the World Bank Group Anna Bjerde.

Aurangzeb held the meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Al Ula Conference for Emerging Market Economies being held in Saudi Arabia. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the progress made under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) and discussed the way forward to further strengthen development cooperation.

The discussions covered a range of priority sectors including energy, education, health, climate resilience, debt-for-development swaps, fiscal reforms, and infrastructure development.

Emphasis was placed on adopting a more focused approach, introducing clear performance trackers, and ensuring more robust and effective implementation mechanisms to translate commitments into tangible outcomes.

Bjerde reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s strong commitment to Pakistan’s ten-year development program amounting to $20 billion, underscoring the Bank’s continued support for Pakistan’s reform and development agenda.

She highlighted the importance of sustained engagement and effective execution to maximize the developmental impact of the program.

The finance minister reiterated the Government of Pakistan’s commitment to close collaboration with the World Bank Group and assured full cooperation through relevant federal ministries.

He also underscored the role and cooperation of the provincial governments to ensure better coordination, timely execution, and delivery of measurable results under the program.

The Al Ula Conference for Emerging Market Economies, launched in 2025, brings together finance ministers, central bank governors, senior policymakers, leaders of international financial institutions, and leading experts from around the world to deliberate on key economic challenges and opportunities facing emerging market economies.