ISLAMABAD: A delegation of International Monetary Fund (IMF) will meet Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the upcoming Geneva conference to discuss outstanding issues, a spokesperson of IMF said on Sunday.
The International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan will be held in Geneva today (Monday). The event will be co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations.
It aims to bring together government representatives, leaders from the public and private sectors and civil society to support the people and the government after the devastating floods of 2022.
According media reports, the IMF spokesperson said that the IMF managing director held a constructive telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on January 6.
“The MD again expressed her sympathy to those directly affected by the floods and supported Pakistan’s efforts to build a more resilient recovery,” said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said that an IMF delegation is expected to meet with Ishaq Dar on the sidelines of the Geneva conference to discuss outstanding issues and the path forward.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for Geneva to co-host International Conference on Resilient Pakistan along with secretary general of the United Nations António Guterres.
A high-level delegation comprising federal ministers Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ishaq Dar, Sherry Rehman and Marriyum Aurangzeb, is also accompanying the prime minister.
Before his departure for Geneva, in a series of tweets, the prime minister said “we will present the case of flood victims before the world”.
He said that he would also throw light on steps taken by the government for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.
Sharif said that “we will place comprehensive post-disaster framework plan for recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction with resilience before development partners and friendly countries”.
He said that bridging funding gap is the key to restore critical infrastructure, rebuild lives, livelihoods and revive economy.
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He said that humanity is at an inflection point in world history. He said our actions today will shape the resilient future for our succeeding generations.
He said millions of Pakistanis affected by unprecedented devastation look for compassion and solidarity to build back better.
Reuters adds: The conference in Geneva, co-hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, will look to gather international support for the country in the aftermath of devastating floods last year.
The floods killed at least 1,700 people and caused billions of dollars of damage to critical infrastructure.
A plan laying out a timeline and the financing of the rebuilding effort has been a sticking point in talks to clear the ninth review that will release $1.1 billion in IMF funds and unlock other international funding too.
Dar has been critical of the IMF lately, publicly saying that the lender was acting “abnormally” in its dealings with Pakistan, which entered the $7 billion bailout programme in 2019.
The IMF spokesperson also said its Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva had a “constructive call” with Sharif regarding the Geneva conference and supported Pakistan’s efforts to rebuild.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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