German aid of Euro 25m for social sector

ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday signed two financing agreements worth grant of Euro 25 million with the ‘KfW’, a Frankfurt-based German government-owned development bank.

The agreements were signed by Secretary, Economic Affairs Division, Sibtain Fazal Halim and Dr Anna Christine Janke, Director of KfW Development Bank office in Islamabad, on behalf of their respective governments.


The name of KfW originally comes from ‘Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau’, meaning Reconstruction Credit Institute.

The agreements include financing agreement on safe blood transfusion and financing agreement on refugee-affected and hosting area (RAHA) programme.

The financing agreement on safe blood transfusion in Pakistan worth Euro 15 million was signed by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), KfW Development Bank and Dr Rashid Jooma, Director-General, Ministry of Health while the financing agreement on RAHA programme worth grant of Euro 10 million was signed between EAD, KfW Development Bank and Mr Khassi Diagne, Deputy Representative, UNHCR office in Islamabad.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr Marcus von Essen, Economic Counselor at the German Embassy.

The grant of Euro 15 million for safe blood transfusion in Pakistan would be used exclusively for establishing a safe blood transfusion system in Pakistan, for construction of regional blood centres, provision of blood bank equipment and for financing of accompanying operative training measures.

The grant of Euro 10 million for RAHA Programme will be exclusively used by UNHCR for the support of its RAHA initiative on social and economic infrastructure measurements, consulting services in Malakand Division and Peshawar Valley.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, EAD Secretary Halim said that the government appreciates the support of Germany and hopes that these agreements would mark new beginning towards strengthening ties between the two countries.

Dr Anna Janke in her comments said that Germany demonstrates commitment to its ties with Pakistan by signing the financing agreements.

The projects will help fulfil the requisite needs in the most deprived areas of the country, she added.

The signing is a manifestation that Pakistan and Germany enjoy deep rooted friendly relations.

Moreover, the two sides enjoy cordial economic relations which are marked by good-will and mutual interest, Dr Anna Janke said.