Consultative Session on Country Partnership Strategy (2020-2024) held by Asian Development Bank (ADB) at Local Hotel, Lahore

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

The Asian Development Bank held a consultative session on the ADB Country Partnership Strategy (2020-2024) in Local Hotel, Lahore. Chairman P&D, Habib ur Rehman Gillani was the keynote speaker where he emphasized on the new development paradigm and aligning the whole development process with the Punjab Growth Strategy. The session explored key areas of collaboration on urban development, road infrastructure, connectivity, skills and job creation.

Country Director, Pakistan Resident Mission, ADB, Ms. Xiaohong Yang congratulated the Punjab government for formulating the comprehensive Punjab Growth Strategy 2023 which will drive the development agenda of the government. She added that the strategy covers all key areas that development partners are looking to collaborate with on the government.  She pin pointed key areas, especially public-private partnerships where the ADB and Government of Punjab are working together and hoped that the new projects coming in will lead to improving lives of the citizens.

Chairman P&D, Habib ur Rehman Gillani on the occasion said that the focus on the social sector of the current government is a part of the long term sustainable development agenda which prioritizes human development. He said that the government will divert most public money to the social sector primarily health and education and mega projects especially infrastructure projects will be funded through the public-private partnership mode. He further added that the key focus for economic growth in the industrial and agricultural sector which the government under the new socio-economic framework will work towards facilitating. SME and tourism also feature highly on the development and economic agenda of the government.