Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Meets Gates Foundation Delegation, Emphasizes Expanded Partnership for Economic Self-Determination
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that after much discussion and cooperation in the polio campaign, the government is keen to broaden its tie-up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for enhancing self-reliance of the entire country.
In Islamabad the Prime Minister met with a high level delegation of the Gates Foundation led by Kalpana Kochhar and Anita Zaidi. During the course of the session, issues of further enhancement of bilateral cooperation and making the developmental partnership between Pakistan and the foundation more effective were discussed.
Appreciation for support from the Foundation and for polio eradication
Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the sustained support provided by the Gates Foundation in the face of the many challenges facing the country in its development endeavors. The foundation has contributed and continues to make a valuable and long-lasting impact on the support of polio eradication, public health, nutrition, financial inclusion and welfare of vulnerable groups of people in the country, he said.
The government’s steadfast efforts in this matter were also reiterated by the Prime Minister, who said that Pakistan was fully determined to eradicate polio from the country and was providing the highest level of patronage to the national immunization program.
Develop a focus on Cashless Economy and Digital Transformation.
The Prime Minister also emphasised that the drive towards a cashless economy has been a core component of the government’s governance reform program. He said the project is designed to make citizens’ daily lives easier, increase fiscal transparency and efficiently deliver public purse to deserving citizens.
Shehbaz said that the digital payments and financial inclusion are on the rise and being worked on by combined efforts of the Government and Gates Foundation. He emphasized the significance of supporting deserving women in a direct, secure and completely dignified way; in this context, he expressed a desire to work with the foundation on specific projects on women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment.