ISLAMABAD - The World Bank (WB) on Thursday said it would utilise all financial, technological and knowledge resources to support Pakistan through its experiences in overall post COVID-19 green recovery

Three-member delegation, led by World Bank’s Country Director to Pakistan Najy Benhassine called on Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam here at his office.

According to a press statement issued here by the Ministry of Climate Change, both sides agreed to work closely in various areas including environmental development, climate change adaptation and mitigation, air pollution reduction, disaster risk mitigation.

The World Bank’s country director said that his organization was fully aware that Pakistan was confronting both the immediate and longer-term health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, which had affected country’s social and economic growth.

Both sides discussed at length various matters of bilateral cooperation and opportunities for collaboration in the fields of green economic recovery by enhancing investment in nature-based solutions and green job creations, environmental sustainability, climate change, forest management, air pollution and water conservation and protection and disaster risk reduction.

Malik Amin Aslam thanked the World Bank’s country director for conveying his Bank’s commitment for supporting the present government’s post-COVID 19 recovery through Green Stimulus Programme initiated under the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Preogramme (TBTTP).

Malik Amin Aslam informed the WB Country Director to Pakistan that Prime Minister Imran Khan had also approved the ‘Green Stimulus’ package in April this year as part of government’s efforts to extend green cover in the county and to create job opportunities for the youth, under which so far over 86,000 green jobs had been created for daily wagers rendered unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While sharing more details of the green and clean Pakistan initiatives launched under the Prime Minister’s vision for Clean and Green Pakistan, Malik Amin Aslam told the World Bank delegation members that the climate change ministry had launched several flagship programmes and projects including the world’s largest afforestation programme of 10 billion Tree Tsunami Programme, Clean Green Pakistan Programme, Protected Areas Initiative, Plastic-Free Pakistan Initiative, Recharge Pakistan Initiative as part of the country’s efforts to achieve environmental sustainability and climate resilience through conservation and protection of environment, forests and wildlife, wherein community and youth engagements were being given top priority.

Najy Benhassine told Malik Amin Aslam that the World Bank would utilise all-out financial, technological and knowledge resources to support Pakistan through its experiences in overall post COVID-19 green recovery by dint of enhanced investment in green sectors including forestry environmental protection and climate change resilience through mitigation and adaptation initiatives in the country’s climate-vulnerable socio-economic sectors.

Amin Aslam said that he deeply valued the World Bank’s interest and its offer to extend support to the incumbent government’s green and clean initiatives launched under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Programme for overall environmental conservation and protection and Pakistan’s climate resilience building.

“Its indeed our pleasure to hear that the World Bank is so passionate, looking at opportunities for jointly working and sharing its experiences regarding promotion of clean and renewable energy, environmental conservation, air pollution mitigation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, efficient water management and disaster risk reduction,” Malik Amin said.