By Admin1 (admin) on Sunday, August 17, 2003 - 1:07 pm: Edit Post |
Director of the Peace Corps Gaddi Vasque is on an exploratory visit to Pakistan
Director of the Peace Corps Gaddi Vasque is on an exploratory visit to Pakistan
US peace corps to help capacity building
ISLAMABAD: Director of the Peace Corps Gaddi Vasque who is on an exploratory visit to Pakistan has called on Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz alongwith his delegation.
He explained activities of the Peace Corps around the world particularly in the areas of Health, education and poverty reduction.
The Minister explained the economic reforms of the government and especially the focus of the President on the Human Development. He highlighted the decision of the President to set up the Human Development Commission headed by Dr Nasim Ashraf and the important role it would play in improving the health and education sectors across the country. The commission, which is an example of the public private enterprise would set up training incubators across the country and would be a natural fit for capacity building assistance.
Gaddi Vasque appreciated the reform of the government and offered support in improving social sector services in Pakistan.
The Minister explained that the interim poverty reduction strategy paper (IPRSP) provides a road map for human development in Pakistan and any assistance to Pakistan should fit the priorities outlined in the IPRSP.
He also explained that there is paradigm shift from merely increasing budgetary allocation to linking expenditure to outcomes in human development area. A special poverty reduction cell has been created in the Planning Commission, which would independently monitor and analyze the outcome indicators.
The minister explained that in the education sector we will be expecting an increase in the gross enrollment rates (primary and middle) and a decrease in the school drop out rates and similarly in the health indicators such as infant and maternal mortality would be concentrated upon.
The meeting was attended by the US Ambassador, Secretary General Finance, Secretary Finance and other senior officers of the Finance Ministry.