President Mamnoon Hussain, while talking to Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao in Islamabad Tuesday, said the government was determined to improve the living standards of people by focusing on economic restructuring and revival.
The president appreciated the working relationship between Pakistan and ADB over the decades and support of the bank for development of various sectors including education, health, water resources, and especially for energy and communications sector.
Highlighting the commitment of present government, the president stated that the government of Pakistan was determined to improve the living standard of the people of Pakistan by focusing on economic restructuring and revival.
The support of our development partners will assist in achieving the economic uplift of our masses, added the president.
The president also appreciated the funding by ADB worth US$ 433 million, for Social Protection Development Project under Benazir Income Support Programme. The president expressed confidence that the funding will help out in alleviating poverty through cash transfers to the needy and provision of technical education and small loan grants especially for women.
The president emphasised that economic reforms and infrastructure improvement could provide an enabling environment for sustainable economic growth and development. The president also thanked ADB for offering its expertise to Pakistan in dealing with natural calamities and reconstruction work.
ADB President Takehiko Nakao extended condolences on the loss of life and damage caused by the recent floods in Pakistan.
The president appreciated the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation initiative of ADB in enhancing connectivity between the countries of Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and Central Asia for promoting trade and economic cooperation.
The ADB delegation included, Naoya Jinda, Chief Advisor to the President ADB, Klaus Gerhaeusser, Director General Central West Asia Department ADB, Werner Liepach, Country Director, ADB Pakistan Resident Mission, and Saad Paracha, Country Programs Officer, ADB Pakistan Resident Mission.
Minister for Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatization Senator Ishaq Dar, Finance Division Secretary Dr Waqar Masood Khan, EAD Secretary Muhammad Saleem Sethi and ADB Executive Director Muhammad Sami Saeed also attended the meeting.
