French envoy promises continued support for Pakistan’s development

Islamabad:Declaring his country a steadfast partner in Pakistan’s development journey, French Ambassador Nicolas Galey on Thursday said both the French government and the French Development Agency would stay the course in supporting the country’s progress.

During a meeting with Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema in his office here, Galey underscored France’s commitment to helping Pakistan ensure smooth execution of current development projects and swift approval of new ones.

He emphasised the depth of the longstanding partnership between the two nations and reiterated France’s readiness to join hands on initiatives promoting inclusive growth, climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure.

The envoy and the minister discussed ways to enhance economic cooperation and reviewed the progress of ongoing and upcoming development initiatives between the two countries. Country Director of the French Development Agency (AFD) Vincent Thevenot was also in attendance.

Minister Cheema appreciated the continued support from the French government through the French Development Agency and noted that since 2008, France had been a valuable development partner of Pakistan in key sectors such as energy, urban development, municipal services, and technological advancement.

He said 14 projects were being implemented with AFD’s assistance, while seven were in the pipeline. The minister expressed hope that the proposed projects would be approved by the AFD Board soon.

About the projects that are on the anvil, the minister emphasised the importance of the Rural Development and Climate Resilience initiative for Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Urban Wastewater Governance Project for major cities in Punjab.