Pakistan and Germany sign three grant-in-aid agreements worth €18.5 million
Pakistan and Germany have signed three agreements worth Euro 18.5 million which will support the Government of Pakistan fight climate change, resolve the energy issues, provide extended health facilities and combat polio.
The Government of Germany was represented by KfW (the German Development Bank) while the Ministry of Economic Affairs represented Government of Pakistan. The agreements were signed by Economic Affairs Secretary Noor Ahmed and German Development Bank-KfW Pakistan Director Sebastian Jacobi.
Health
Under the Women Employment In Private Health Sector, KfW will provide a grant of Euro 12 million exclusively for:
- Establishment of women’s health clinics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to promote self-employment of women in the health sector
- Training of qualified women to run the clinics
- Consulting services in relation to the coordination, monitoring and reporting of the measures implemented.
Polio eradication
KfW will provide an additional grant of €5 million to augment the existing support for polio eradication. “This will help Pakistan to finance polio vaccines and meet the costs for implementation of Pakistan’s National Polio Emergency Action Plan.” The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are implementing partners.
Climate Change and Energy
A grant of €1.5 million will be given to Pakistan to implement accompanying services for the Harpo Hydropower Project in the Gilgit-Baltistan region under the climate change/energy component.
These accompanying measures will be carried out at the project site in support of the main Harpo Hydropower Project to ensure project sustainability. The services shall comprise assistance to strengthen the power utility i.e. the Gilgit-Baltistan Power Department as well as accompanying investments in the social infrastructure including relevant consulting measures.
Historically, Pakistan and Germany have enjoyed warm friendly relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1951. Earlier this year, Germany through KfW signed agreements with the government of Pakistan to provide €27 million for Gharo substation in Sindh and €6 million for the Regional Infrastructure Project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.