ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and World Bank Operations Managing Director Anna Bjerde on Sunday discussed the country partnership framework and development priorities on the sidelines of the Emerging Markets Conference in Saudi Arabia, according to a statement issued here.

Following up on the World Bank president’s visit to Pakistan last week, both sides reviewed progress under the country partnership framework (CPF) and discussed the way forward to further strengthen development cooperation. The discussions covered priority sectors including energy, education, health, climate resilience, debt-for-development swaps, fiscal reforms and infrastructure development.

Emphasis was placed on adopting a more focused approach, introducing clear performance trackers and ensuring robust implementation mechanisms to translate commitments into tangible outcomes.

Ms Bjerde reaffirmed the World Bank’s strong commitment to Pakistan’s 10-year development programme amounting to $20 billion, underscoring the Bank’s continued support for Pakistan’s reform and development agenda. She highlighted the importance of sustained engagement and effective execution to maximise the programme’s developmental impact.

Pakistan, KSA discuss investment

Mr Aurangzeb and Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim on Sunday discussed investments and tech talent collaboration on the sidelines of the conference.

According to another statement, the two sides reviewed follow-ups on matters relating to Saudi investments in Pakistan and broader bilateral economic cooperation. The Saudi minister highlighted the high-quality artificial intelligence and technology talent being produced by Pakistan, noting that it ranks among the top one or two globally. He said Saudi Arabia was keen to leverage Pakistani tech talent to support the Kingdom’s technological transformation.

In this context, he referred to US businessman and former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt, who has also acknowledged the strength and potential of Pakistani technology professionals.

Mr Aurangzeb said Pakistan was planning to create a structured pipeline of skilled human resources for key international markets, including Saudi Arabia, to generate economic impact for both sides. The Saudi minister also noted progress on the Gulf Cooperation Council free trade agreement and emphasised prioritising increased trade and exchanges with Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026