Melinda Bohannon, Director General for Humanitarian and Development at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), concluded her first visit to Pakistan, marking a decade of successful collaboration and investment.
During her 3-day visit, Bohannon celebrated the significant impact of the UK’s £155 million investment in Karandaaz, which has supported over 1.1 million jobs, with more than half of them benefiting women, and has generated over PKR 230 billion in additional income for businesses across the country.
Bohannon’s visit aimed to reinforce the UK’s long-term commitment to Pakistan’s development, with a particular focus on economic growth, climate resilience, security, and education. One of the key highlights of her visit was her meeting with the Minister of Finance, where they discussed the progress of Pakistan’s IMF-supported program and the UK’s technical assistance to Pakistan’s economic reforms.
Visit to schools
In addition to her meetings with government officials, Bohannon visited Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) where she met with teachers and students, acknowledging their remarkable efforts in addressing the educational challenges facing the region.
She praised the teachers who were working tirelessly to help children catch up on their learning, as well as the women delivering vital family planning services through mobile outreach medical camps.
Reflecting on her visit, Bohannon remarked, “In Haripur, I met the most fantastic teachers helping children catch-up on their learning. And I met wonderful, and dedicated women who are delivering vital family planning services through our mobile outreach medical camps. We are providing support to these schools and clinics, but these inspirational individuals are at the heart of delivering change.
Meetings with private sector leaders
Bohannon also emphasized the ongoing efforts of private sector leaders collaborating with Karandaaz to mobilize capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and deliver innovative solutions that are strengthening Pakistan’s financial ecosystem. “I was also inspired by the stories from private sector leaders working with Karandaaz, mobilizing capital to Small and Medium Sized enterprises and providing innovative solutions to develop Pakistan’s finance ecosystem,” she added.
Another major initiative during her visit was Bohannon’s participation in the British High Commission’s final Chevening ‘Climate Connects’ debate, where alumni from the UK’s prestigious Chevening scholarship program came together to discuss progress made at COP29 on the theme of ‘Just Transition’. This debate followed previous discussions on green growth and urbanization in Karachi and Lahore, respectively.
As part of her visit, Bohannon also engaged with communities benefiting from the British High Commission’s groundwater recharging project in Mirpur, KP. She met with local communities who are using nature-based solutions to tackle the impact of climate change, providing a cost-effective and sustainable approach to addressing environmental challenges in the region.
Bohannon concluded her visit by marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities with young, disabled women leaders who have benefitted from the British High Commission’s support. These leaders are advocating for greater inclusion, including improving access to disability cards, pushing for accessible public transportation, and lobbying for job quotas for people with disabilities. “Through supporting people to access disability cards, advocating for more accessible public transportation, and lobbying for job quotas, I have seen how UK support is empowering young leaders to make tangible changes in their communities,” Bohannon said.
This visit underscored the UK’s continued commitment to strengthening its partnership with Pakistan, empowering communities, promoting sustainable development, and advancing climate action. Bohannon’s meetings and interactions demonstrated the impact of UK investments and initiatives that are driving progress in key areas of education, climate resilience, disability inclusion, and economic growth.