Continued United States Government support for Sindh development priorities

Karachi, November 13, 2018 (PPI-OT):U.S. Consul General JoAnne Wagner participated with representatives from the international community in an event organized by the Government of Sindh Planning and Development Department to release the report from the Sindh Development Forum (SDF).

With the active involvement of and funding by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Planning and Development Department convened the SDF in Karachi on March 28, 2018. Major donors active in Sindh including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations, the European Union, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency participated.

During the conference, participants discussed nine development sectors which formed the basis of the recommendations made under each thematic area. Thematic areas include agriculture, economic growth, education, energy and infrastructure, health and population, nutrition, public financial management, poverty reduction, and water and sanitation.

The SDF was designed to be a development policy and priority setting dialogue among Government of Sindh (GoS), the private sector and international development partners working in Sindh. The recommendations from the SDF Final Report will be useful in establishing future GoS policy, development priorities and budget.

USAID Deputy Mission Director for Sindh and Baluchistan, John Smith-Sreen also participated in the SDF report launch event. USAID has several signature projects being implemented in Sindh including the Sindh Basic Education Program and the Municipal Services Program in Jacobabad, a soon-to-be launched Health Capacity Building project in partnership with the GoS, as well as multiple other activities in health, education, agriculture, energy, job creation, community resilience, and economic development. The GoS Planning and Development Department provides oversight and support for the implementation of all development programs in the province including those supported through foreign assistance.

The Sindh Development Forum draft report was compiled by USAID and was presented to the Chairman of Planning and Development, Muhammad Waseem. This event marks the completion of the final report and adoption by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.

For more information, contact:
Spokesperson,
Consulate General of the United States of America
Plot No 3-5, TPX Area, Mai Kolachi Road,
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-35275000 Ext: 5242
Fax: +92-21-35275985
Cell: +92-302-8294015
Email: asmusbp@state.gov
Website: http://karachi.usconsulate.gov