ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan will travel to Geneva to co-convene the first Global Refugee Forum (GRF) which begins on December 17, 2019, the PM’s Office said in a statement released on Monday.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Switzerland are co-hosting the event.
PM Khan, along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other leaders from Costa Rica, Ethiopia, and Germany, were chosen. For the initiative in recognition of the exemplary roles played by them for the protection and well-being of refugees.
“The Global Refugee Forum – the first major meeting on refugees of the 21st century – will be jointly hosted by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the Government of Switzerland on 17-18 December 2019,” excerpts from the statement read.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also be speaking at the forum which is expected to galvanize political support and solidarity and broaden the base of commitments from states, international organizations, private sectors, and civil society to deal with the issue.
“The prime minister will articulate Pakistan’s perspective, experience, and contribution to the Afghan refugees. Co-convening of the GRF is recognition of Pakistan’s generosity, humanitarian leadership, and compassion of the people of Pakistan toward their Afghan brothers and sisters for the past 40 years,” the statement read.
During his stay in Geneva, PM Khan will also hold talks with his counterparts and the UN leadership, in addition to attending a luncheon hosted by the UN Secretary-General.
Around 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan.
On June 28, Pakistan decided to extend the duration of their stay until June 30, 2020.
The UN refugee agency welcomed the government’s decision, commending Pakistan for being “an exemplary host” and vowing to support the government’s policies which promote voluntary repatriation.
Pakistan to co-convene first forum on global refugees
https://arab.news/zjtb2
Pakistan to co-convene first forum on global refugees
- Geneva meeting will be the first major initiative on the topic
- Nearly 1.4mn Afghan refugees reside in Pakistan
IMF mission begins talks in Islamabad as Pakistan seeks next program review
- Finance ministry confirms ‘kick-off meeting’ with visiting IMF delegation
- Review critical for next tranche under $7 billion bailout program
Karachi: Pakistan began formal talks with a visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation on Monday as the country prepares for the next review of its $7 billion bailout program.
The IMF team is in Pakistan to conduct a review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) approved in September 2024, a multi-year program aimed at stabilizing the economy after a balance-of-payments crisis, high inflation and dwindling foreign exchange reserves.
Pakistan has so far received roughly $3 billion of the EFF. Successful completion of the latest review could pave the way for the release of the next tranche of funds, subject to IMF board approval.
Separately in 2024, Pakistan also secured about $1.3 billion under the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility, a climate-focused funding window aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to manage environmental and disaster-related risks.
“Kick-off meeting with IMF Mission held today,” the finance ministry said on Monday as it shared visuals of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and senior officials meeting the delegation in Islamabad.
IMF country representative in Pakistan, Mahir Binici, told Arab News in an emailed statement;
“An IMF mission led by Ms. Iva Petrova has started discussions with the authorities in Karachi and Islamabad on the third review of Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement and the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).”
The discussions are expected to focus on Pakistan’s fiscal performance, revenue collection targets, structural reform implementation and broader macroeconomic stability measures agreed under the program.
The review comes at a sensitive time for Pakistan’s economy, with rising global oil prices and regional instability adding pressure to inflation and external accounts. Analysts say continued IMF engagement remains crucial for maintaining investor confidence and securing external financing.
Pakistan entered the IMF program to restore macroeconomic stability, strengthen public finances and rebuild foreign exchange reserves. Authorities have repeatedly described the reform agenda as necessary to ensure long-term economic resilience.
Further meetings between technical teams are expected over the coming days.
