World Bank Executive Directors Arrive in Pakistan for First Time After 20 Years

A delegation of nine World Bank Executive Directors has arrived in Pakistan for the first time in 20 years to assess the implementation of $40 billion in funding. The delegation will meet with the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and other key officials to discuss the Country Partnership Framework. The team will visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan to review developmental initiatives and formulate strategies. World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Martin Raiser, recently said the current $20 billion lending under the framework would be insufficient for Pakistan’s 10-year development goals. It bears mentioning that the arrival of the WB top brass in Pakistan comes ahead of the country’s first bailout review talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). An IMF mission is expected in Pakistan on February 24 to negotiate a concessional loan to address climate change-related damages.