The World Bank reaffirms its commitment to Pakistan’s $20 billion development program, emphasizing continued support for the country’s reform agenda. This announcement came on February 8, 2026, following a meeting between Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and World Bank Group Managing Director Anna Bjerde at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies in Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, both parties reviewed progress under Pakistan’s Country Partnership Framework, a strategic initiative aiming to address key sectors such as energy, education, health, climate resilience, and infrastructure. Discussions also highlighted the importance of fiscal reforms and debt-for-development swaps to ensure effective implementation and tangible results.
The World Bank’s commitment follows the approval of a $20 billion loan package for Pakistan, covering the period from 2025 to 2035. This package is designed to reduce learning poverty, improve health outcomes, and protect against climate change risks. In 2029, the World Bank projects economic growth at 3.8%, with a budget deficit of 6% of GDP and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 73%.
Looking ahead, the collaboration between Pakistan and the World Bank is expected to involve close engagement with provincial governments to ensure coordinated delivery of the development program. The continued focus on performance tracking and robust implementation is anticipated to drive progress in the identified priority sectors.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, February 9th, 2026
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