ISLAMABAD: The Uni­ted States and Pakistan on Thursday committed to partner with each other in various areas, including a $4.5 million programme from the US Department of Agriculture to stren­g­then fertiliser efficiency and effectiveness for local farmers.

The commitment was made at the conclusion of the second meeting of the Climate and Environment Working Group.

Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman and the US Department of State’s Assistant Secre­t­a­­ry for the Bureau of Oce­a­­ns and International Envi­ronmental and Scientific Affairs Monica Medina led their respective delegations at the meeting.

Officials and experts of the two countries discu­s­sed the impacts of the last year’s devastating floods in Pakistan and emphasised the importance of building resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The US expressed support for Pakistan’s Living Indus Initiative to restore the ecological health of the Indus River Basin. The two governments recommitted to tackling the climate crisis through cooperation on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

They resolved to conti­nue deepening their bilateral partnership through the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework.

Regarding agriculture, the delegations discussed the importance of adopting modern farming practices and innovative seed varieties to bolster resilience against climate change.

On water management, the two governments identified technical assista­n­­ce, governance, and water efficiency mechanisms as areas ripe for cooperation.

Through the Climate and Environment Work­ing Group, the two governments made new commitments to partner together.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2023