On the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a key meeting with Mr. Benjamin Black, CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance.
During the meeting, Senator Aurangzeb highlighted significant investment opportunities within Pakistan’s oil and gas, mines and minerals, agriculture, IT, and pharmaceutical sectors. He underscored the consensus at the leadership level to enhance trade and investment ties, welcoming the DFC’s interest in facilitating private sector-led funding for projects in Pakistan.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb also met with Mr. Hiroshi Matano, Executive Vice President of MIGA, expressing appreciation for MIGA’s support in ongoing arbitration matters and reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding both investor confidence and national interests.
He welcomed MIGA’s proposal for a short-term trade finance facility to ensure access to critical imports such as food, fertiliser, energy, and essential machinery, and emphasised the importance of its timely implementation. He also acknowledged MIGA’s continued support for Pakistan’s power transmission and distribution sectors.
Senator Aurangzeb attended the Borrowers’ Forum Roundtable, where he discussed the crucial balance between servicing high debt obligations and financing essential social sector investments. He commended the establishment of the forum as a valuable platform for collective action, knowledge sharing, and policy coordination among debtor nations. He stressed the importance of improved debt management, enhanced technical capacity, and better access to sustainable finance for climate resilience and infrastructure development.
The finance minister also met with members of the Pakistan Bank Fund Staff Association (PBFSA), briefing them on recent fiscal, monetary, and external sector progress, and referenced the country’s upgraded sovereign credit ratings. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, energy reforms, privatisation, social protection, and inclusive green growth while responding to participant queries.
