WB commits $465m to support 2 projects

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank is committing $465 million through two projects to support higher education in Pakistan and expand sustainable electricity trade between Central Asia and South Asia.
“The two projects support Pakistan’s long-term vision for building high-quality talent and promote the creation of a regional energy market to boost economic prospects for millions of Pakistanis,” said Illango Patchamuthu, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan in a statement issued on Saturday.
“Both projects form part of the priority areas identified in Pakistan@100: Shaping the Future, a flagship initiative, that identifies frontier interventions for Pakistan to become an upper middle-income country by 2047.”
The $400 million Higher Education Development in Pakistan Project will strengthen tertiary education to produce skilled, innovative and enterprising graduates. It will strengthen partnerships with industry for strategic research and develop data-driven governance of tertiary education.
“The project will also support the improvement of teaching and learning at the affiliated college level for improved mid-level skills and employability of graduates,” said Tazeen Fasih, Lead Economist, World Bank.
The project supports the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan’s Vision 2025 program, developing tertiary education as part of the Government of Pakistan’s aim to become an upper-middle income country.
The Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000) will enable sustainable electricity trade between Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.
The project will use $65 million in additional financing to complete Pakistan’s infrastructure part of the CASA-1000 project. It will help meet the growing energy demand in Afghanistan and Pakistan, by transferring surplus summer hydropower from the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan. “CASA-1000 will also improve livelihoods for people living along the energy corridor, sharing the prosperity associated with the project,” said Fowzia Hassan, Senior Energy Specialist, World Bank.

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M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.