Executive Director United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) David M Beasley called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday at Prime Minister's Office.
The prime minister stated that Pakistan has long association with WFP and enjoys unique donor recipient status at WFP. Pakistan is WFP's largest host government donor in the world and is paying US$ 50 million to the current Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO), the Prime Minister added. Chairperson BISP Marvi Memon was also present in the meeting, said a press release.
The Prime Minister felicitated the Executive Director, WFP and appreciated the efforts being done by WFP to achieve its overarching objectives worldwide. The Prime Minister also appreciated the role of WFP in Pakistan for being the leading humanitarian organization for fighting hunger, delivering food assistance and working to improve nutrition and build resilience.
On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and WFP titled "1000 DAYS PARTNERSHIP AGAINST MALNUTRITION". The Memorandum of Understanding for 2018-2022 is aligned with WFP's strategic objectives in support of Pakistan's own development strategies -Pakistan's vision 2025 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The key objectives of the MoU include improvement in education enrollment through revitalizing the school meal system, to improve emergency preparedness response mechanism, to enable the social protection of Pakistan more nutrition sensitive by working on Nutrition Conditionality Program and to nurture public private partnership to ensure long-term sustainability of the program. Finbarr Curran, Country Director WFP and Omar Hamid Khan, Secretary BISP signed the MOU.
ED, WFP appreciated the role of BISP in context to its contribution in the education, poverty reduction and women issues. David M. Beasley also ensured his organizational support and facilitation in this sector, with the hope of further strengthening the initiatives taken by the Government of Pakistan.-PR