ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Riina Kionka and Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Dr. Kazim Niaz inked five new EU grant agreements on Monday. These deals, under Team Europe’s response to the 2022 post-flood Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework, signify a significant commitment of about EUR 100 million (equivalent to over Rs30 billion).
The new EU support package aims to fortify Pakistan’s resilience in the aftermath of the floods, bringing the total Team Europe response to the 2022 floods to more than EUR 930 million. The specific focus areas include revitalising the rural economy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and restoring the disrupted livestock value chains in flood-hit Balochistan.
These activities align with the expansive EU Global Gateway initiative, the largest EU investment programme designed to propel the international green transition.
Additionally, the package extends its impact by fortifying Pakistan’s long-term resilience through targeted investments in gender equality, human rights, and civil society.
Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz thanked the EU for their support and stressed that there are unmet needs in the flood-hit areas that require help of development partners.
Pakistan not alone
EU envoy said that Pakistan is not alone in overcoming its challenging phase of economic crisis and flood recovery. The EU and Team Europe partners are committed to building back better, sustainably improving lives in the most affected communities in Balochistan and KP.
The EU’s commitment to Pakistan encompasses a vision of a democratic, stable, and pluralistic nation that respects human rights and maximizes its economic potential, she said.
The EU annually provides approximately EUR 90 million in grants for cooperation and development, supporting Pakistan’s initiatives to combat poverty, enhance education, promote human rights, rule of law, good governance, and ensure sustainable natural resource management. The EU’s cooperation spans across all of the country, with a special focus on KP, Gilgit Baltistan, Balochistan, and Sindh.
