Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
09/09/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/09/2025 08:33
PR No. 75 Federal Minister for Water Resources Met with World Bank Delegation, D
The Honourable Federal Minister for Water Resources, Mr. Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, held a meeting with a World Bank delegation led by Ms. Meskerem Brhane, Regional Director for 'Planet' in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Region, to discuss challenges in the water sector and explore potential areas of collaboration between the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and the World Bank to strengthen water security in Pakistan.
The Federal Minister was accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of Water Resources. The World Bank delegation included Mr. Bekele Debele Negewo, Senior Water Resources Management Specialist; Mr. Francois Onimus, Senior Water Resources Specialist; and Mr. Basharat Saeed, Senior Water Specialist.
Mr. Wattoo opened the meeting by acknowledging the World Bank's longstanding engagement in Pakistan's water sector and highlighted priority areas requiring urgent attention for collaborative action. The discussions focused on the increasing frequency and intensity of floods and the growing challenges posed by water scarcity.
Ms. Brhane began by expressing her condolences over the loss of lives and property caused by recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. She emphasized the importance of addressing these issues through integrated water resources management and improved land use planning. She also stressed that effective coordination between federal and provincial governments, as well as relevant agencies, is essential - a role MoWR is well positioned to lead.
Ms. Brhane further highlighted that climate resilience is a core objective under the World Bank's Pakistan Country Partnership Framework (CPF) FY2026-2035, with a strong focus on flood resilience. The Ministry informed the delegation that the National Flood Protection Plan IV includes a comprehensive set of technical and non-technical interventions that align with the CPF, and which the World Bank may consider supporting.
Both sides also discussed the urgent need to improve agricultural water productivity and water use efficiency to ensure long-term food security and enhance resilience to water scarcity. The Additional Secretary, MoWR, highlighted that reducing conveyance losses by 33% by 2030 is a key target of the National Water Policy.
The World Bank and MoWR agreed to hold follow-up discussions to identify practical and fit-for-purpose solutions in infrastructure, management, and governance to enhance water conveyance efficiency, productivity, and service reliability.
Furthermore, both institutions stressed the need for significant investment in water resource measurement and consolidated monitoring of ongoing projects across the country. This would support the creation of a publicly accessible, data-driven platform to track progress, identify gaps, and improve overall water resource management at the national level.
This version improves flow, fixes minor grammatical issues, and ensures a professional and polished tone suitable for an official press release.
The Federal Minister was accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of Water Resources. The World Bank delegation included Mr. Bekele Debele Negewo, Senior Water Resources Management Specialist; Mr. Francois Onimus, Senior Water Resources Specialist; and Mr. Basharat Saeed, Senior Water Specialist.
Mr. Wattoo opened the meeting by acknowledging the World Bank's longstanding engagement in Pakistan's water sector and highlighted priority areas requiring urgent attention for collaborative action. The discussions focused on the increasing frequency and intensity of floods and the growing challenges posed by water scarcity.
Ms. Brhane began by expressing her condolences over the loss of lives and property caused by recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. She emphasized the importance of addressing these issues through integrated water resources management and improved land use planning. She also stressed that effective coordination between federal and provincial governments, as well as relevant agencies, is essential - a role MoWR is well positioned to lead.
Ms. Brhane further highlighted that climate resilience is a core objective under the World Bank's Pakistan Country Partnership Framework (CPF) FY2026-2035, with a strong focus on flood resilience. The Ministry informed the delegation that the National Flood Protection Plan IV includes a comprehensive set of technical and non-technical interventions that align with the CPF, and which the World Bank may consider supporting.
Both sides also discussed the urgent need to improve agricultural water productivity and water use efficiency to ensure long-term food security and enhance resilience to water scarcity. The Additional Secretary, MoWR, highlighted that reducing conveyance losses by 33% by 2030 is a key target of the National Water Policy.
The World Bank and MoWR agreed to hold follow-up discussions to identify practical and fit-for-purpose solutions in infrastructure, management, and governance to enhance water conveyance efficiency, productivity, and service reliability.
Furthermore, both institutions stressed the need for significant investment in water resource measurement and consolidated monitoring of ongoing projects across the country. This would support the creation of a publicly accessible, data-driven platform to track progress, identify gaps, and improve overall water resource management at the national level.
This version improves flow, fixes minor grammatical issues, and ensures a professional and polished tone suitable for an official press release.
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