ADB’s New Country Director Meets Finance Minister to Strengthen Pakistan Partnership
ISLAMABAD, November 4, 2024: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday met with Ms. Emma Fan, the newly appointed Country Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Pakistan, along with Deputy Country Director Mr. Asad Aleem.
During the meeting, Senator Aurangzeb welcomed Ms. Fan and expressed his hopes for a strengthened partnership between Pakistan and the ADB. He highlighted the bank’s essential role in supporting the country’s development agenda.
The Minister provided insights into the current economic situation, emphasizing ongoing reforms in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), taxation, and the energy sector, which aim to enhance governance and sustainability.
In response, Ms. Fan praised the progress made in various economic sectors and announced that the ADB is developing a new country partnership strategy for Pakistan, with a focus on key areas such as climate change and economic growth.
She shared details about the ADB’s portfolio, noting that there are currently seven active projects this year and 16 planned for the future. Ms. Fan underscored the bank’s commitment to economic reforms, socio-economic development, and poverty alleviation. Additionally, she outlined specific initiatives, including financial assistance for poverty reduction, reforms in SOEs and SMEs, support for the installation of smart meters by power distribution companies, the establishment of an early flood warning system, and efforts to digitize operations within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).