Sindh Government, IFC Agree to Expand Cooperation in Health, Social Protection and Economic Development

KARACHI: The Government of Sindh and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of health, social protection, economic development, renewable energy, agriculture, and climate resilience during a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and IFC Pakistan Division Director Simon Andrews.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif Abbas, Planning and Development Board Chairman Najam Shah, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, and members of the IFC delegation, including Naz Khan and Sehar Aitazaz.

The two sides discussed collaboration on establishing an international data center in Sindh, expanding renewable energy projects, and strengthening digital infrastructure across the province.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said increasing renewable energy generation through private sector participation is among the provincial government’s top priorities. He added that improving agricultural supply chains, storage facilities, and processing infrastructure would help increase farmers’ incomes.

He also announced that the Sindh government plans to provide subsidized tractors to small farmers owning up to 25 acres of land. Under the proposed scheme, two or three neighboring farmers cultivating adjacent land would be able to jointly benefit from the subsidy.

The IFC delegation expressed interest in supporting human resource development, healthcare, and education initiatives. Both sides also agreed to collaborate on programs aimed at reducing child malnutrition and addressing stunted growth among children.

Murad Ali Shah said the provincial government is setting a target of producing 15,000 nurses annually to address Pakistan’s shortage of trained nursing professionals. He added that Sindh would work with the IFC to develop a comprehensive model for nursing education and professional training.

The IFC also expressed its willingness to expand cooperation in digital infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, and human capital development across Sindh.

Simon Andrews said the IFC is committed to strengthening its partnership with the Sindh government to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

The meeting also focused on integrating climate change considerations into public-private partnership (PPP) projects. The two sides discussed strengthening climate resilience in infrastructure planning, with Andrews stating that the IFC’s Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory Program would provide technical assistance to Sindh.

The Sindh PPP Unit also sought IFC’s technical support to address climate change challenges and promote sustainable development. Both sides agreed to develop a comprehensive implementation framework to ensure future PPP projects are more resilient to the impacts of climate change and contribute to long-term sustainable development.