PM appreciates WFP’s role in Pakistan

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ISLAMABAD, April 3 (APP): Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday appreciated the role of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Pakistan for being the leading humanitarian organization for fighting hunger, delivering food assistance and working to improve nutrition and build resilience.
The Prime Minister expressed these views while talking to Executive Director UN World Food Programme Mr David M. Beasley, who called on him here at the Prime Minister’s office.
Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Marvi Memon was also present in the meeting.
The Prime Minister stated that Pakistan had long association with WFP and enjoyed unique donor recipient status at WFP.
Pakistan was WFP’s largest host government donor in the world and was paying US$ 50 million to the current Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO), he added.
The Prime Minister felicitated the Executive Director, WFP and appreciated the efforts being done by WFP to achieve its overarching objectives worldwide.
On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and WFP titled “1000 DAYS PARTNERSHIP AGAINST MALNUTRITION”.
The Memorandum of Understanding for 2018–2022 was aligned with WFP’s strategic objectives in support of Pakistan’s own development strategies – Pakistan’s vision 2025 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The key objectives of the MoU include improvement in education enrollment through revitalizing the school meal system, to improve emergency preparedness response mechanism, to enable the social protection of Pakistan more nutrition-sensitive by working on Nutrition Conditionality Program and to nurture public private partnership to ensure long-term sustainability of the program.
Finbarr Curran, Country Director WFP and Omar Hamid Khan, Secretary BISP signed the MOU.
Executive Director WFP appreciated the role of BISP in context to its contribution in the education, poverty reduction and women issues.
David M. Beasley also assured his organizational support and facilitation in this sector, with the hope of further strengthening the initiatives taken by the Government of Pakistan.
APP/Ahsan/anm