MoEA and WBG Successfully organized workshop on operationalizing Country Framework Partnership Program (CPF)

ISLAMABAD, APR 10:  The National level Workshop, jointly organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MoEA) and the World Bank Group (WBG), successfully concluded today in Islamabad. The workshop brought together key federal and provincial stakeholders to develop a comprehensive framework for operationalization of the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) agreed between GoP and WBG. The implantation framework would be instrumental in effectively achieving the CPF’s six strategic outcomes, including reducing child stunting, enhancing climate resilience, and mobilizing resources for inclusive development.

Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and other officers of EAD participated in it. World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine and other higher officials of WBG also present in this event.

Dr. Niaz, in his key note address, outlined the salient features of the CPF implementation framework. The implementation framework would define broad scope of each expected outcome and sectoral convergences under it, set uniform standards for identification of projects and baselines for each expected outcome, prepare a comprehensive strategy to address common issues faced during each stage of project cycle, provide guidelines for assessing impacts on regular basis, and provide key design parameters of a dedicated digital portal to be developed for tracking the progress on implementation of the CPF.

Dr. Niaz underlined the need to evolve unprecedented implementation arrangements for achieving the desired impacts of the unprecedented decade long CPF. The CPF commits $40 billion financing in ten years' time (2026-35) - $ 20 billion to be provided by IBRD and IDA as sovereign lending while another $ 20 billion to be financed by IFC to foster private sector investments. He also underlined the need for all relevant implementing entities to rethink their existing implementation arrangements, internal processes, and reposition themselves to effectively achieve the desired outcomes and create maximum impact while working within the limited scope of CPF. 

Senior officers of the Federal ministries and the Provincial governments shared recommendations for improving the implementation ecosystem for impactful implementation of the CPF.

The World Bank Pakistan Country Director, Najy Benhassine, in his remarks, appreciated the inputs received from relevant Federal and Provincial stakeholders for improving the existing systems and processes. He assured WB's would work closely with all stakeholders preparing the implementation framework.