ISLAMABAD — Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to advancing economic reforms and expanding global partnerships to achieve sustainable development, as Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb represented the country at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain.
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Aurangzeb held a series of bilateral meetings focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, development finance, climate resilience, and institutional capacity-building.
In his meeting with Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen, the two sides explored opportunities in agri-tech, water management, and digital public services. The Dutch government expressed support for Pakistan’s structural reform agenda and ongoing economic stabilization efforts.
The Minister also met with Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, to discuss the status of Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility review with the IMF and reforms under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Aurangzeb shared updates on Pakistan’s forthcoming National Green Taxonomy, being developed with World Bank assistance to guide sustainable investment flows.
The World Bank reaffirmed its support through Pakistan’s new 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF 2026–2035), with a focus on addressing stunting, learning poverty, climate resilience, decarbonization, and private sector investment.
In another meeting, Aurangzeb and IFAD President Alvaro Lario reviewed the performance of 29 completed projects and six ongoing initiatives across rural development, climate-smart agriculture, and vocational training. The two parties also explored areas to expand value chain development and financial inclusion in rural regions.
Engagements also included a session with International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary-General John W.H. Denton AO. Discussions revolved around improving trade facilitation, promoting SMEs, and enhancing private sector participation through international best practices.
The Finance Ministry said these engagements align with Pakistan’s broader reform and resilience agenda and reflect the country’s efforts to strengthen international partnerships in support of long-term economic transformation.
