The United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will contribute $7 million to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) ongoing project to address the secondary effects of Covid-19 in Pakistan.

In this regard, USAID Mission Director Julie Koenen and ADB Country Director Yong Ye attended a signing ceremony in Islamabad on Thursday.

ADB will use USAID’s $7m contribution to provide cash grants to Pakistani families in need of financial assistance due to the pandemic, a US embassy press release said.

The grants will be distributed through the ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme’ managed by the Benazir Income Support Fund Programme. USAID’s funds also will provide technical and administrative support to ensure effectiveness, accountability, and transparency for the programme beneficiaries.