ISLAMABAD:

The World Bank has stressed the need for stronger coordination between federal and provincial governments to ensure effective implementation of Pakistan’s reform agenda under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), as discussions focused on climate resilience, population management and sectoral sustainability.

The emphasis emerged during a meeting on Wednesday between World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Bolormaa Amgaabazar and Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division, according to an official statement.

The talks centred on strengthening cooperation under the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) and advancing key reform priorities of the government. Discussions covered population and human capital development, climate resilience, agriculture sector reforms, energy sector sustainability and overall portfolio performance.

The finance minister underlined that effective operationalisation of the framework was essential, particularly in priority areas such as population management and climate change. He said strong coordination between federal and provincial governments was required to ensure coherence in policy design and implementation.

Aurangzeb noted that while implementation largely rests with the provinces, relevant federal ministries must remain fully engaged in planning, oversight and monitoring to ensure national alignment and ownership of reforms.

Both sides exchanged views on improving institutional coordination, enhancing transparency in project design and target setting, and strengthening monitoring mechanisms to achieve intended development outcomes. The World Bank reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with both federal and provincial stakeholders.

Progress in the agriculture sector was also reviewed, with discussions focusing on reforms aimed at raising productivity, strengthening value chains, expanding access to finance and encouraging private sector participation. The finance minister stressed the need to align provincial initiatives with broader national reform efforts to support sustainable growth.

The World Bank expressed readiness to continue supporting agricultural transformation in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including through coordination with the International Finance Corporation.

Energy sector reforms and financial sustainability were also a focus of the meeting, including options for strengthening the sector’s viability. Both sides agreed to continue technical-level engagements to identify feasible solutions consistent with Pakistan’s reform agenda and fiscal framework.

The country director briefed the minister on overall portfolio performance and ongoing development operations, reiterating the Bank’s continued support for Pakistan’s economic stabilisation, climate resilience and human capital development goals.

Aurangzeb appreciated the World Bank’s engagement and reiterated the government’s commitment to advancing structural reforms, improving governance frameworks and ensuring development programmes deliver tangible and sustainable benefits.