Pakistan, UAE Discuss Food Security Initiatives

Minister of State and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Public Communication and Digital Platforms Fahd Haroon met with Bakheet Al Romaithi, United Arab Emirates Consul General in Karachi. They both discussed the importance of public communication in raising awareness about food security and the impacts of climate change. The meeting centered around the UAE food program for Pakistan, initiated by Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. During the meeting, Haroon informed a visiting media delegation from the UAE about the initiatives taken by Pakistan, particularly in the Sindh province, to combat food insecurity. The Consul General expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the government of Sindh and UAE on the ‘Emirates Humanitarian’ medical campaign in Sindh to provide health facilities to the poor. The UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE-PAP) has provided assistance in various social and humanitarian fields, including health, poverty alleviation, education, and disaster relief. According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Acute Malnutrition analysis, acute malnutrition is at a critical level in eight districts in Sindh and at a serious level in one district. The UAE’s food assistance program aims to address this pressing issue. As per the data, the overall malnutrition prevalence in Pakistan is 38.3%, with 17.7 million stunted and 9.7 million wasted children under five years of age. The meeting between Haroon and the Consul General reflects the shared commitment of Pakistan and UAE to address food insecurity and improve the well-being of vulnerable populations. The UAE’s food assistance program, along with Pakistan’s initiatives in the Sindh province, will help address the issue of malnutrition in Pakistan.