Islamabad, 21st Feb 2020
Minister of Climate Change visit to NDRMF
Government is committed to combat impacts of climate change along with enhance disaster management and strengthen emergency response across the country, the establishment of Fund is a reflection of government’s vision of changing Pakistan, stated by the Minister of State for Climate Change during her visit to NDRMF.
While briefing Ms. Zartaj Gul, CEO NDRMF, Lt. Gen (R) Nadeem Ahmed shared that the Fund finance projects for provincial governments and non-public sector partners through 70% financial grant while 30% of the total project cost is borne by the fund implementing partners, following a merit-based and transparent process of selection in accordance with a pre-set criteria. The fund has also drafted a Disaster Risk Finance strategy to protect Pakistan against financial losses from disasters, which is a unique achievement for the government and is in-line with similar efforts in most advanced countries of the world, he added.
Ms. Zartaj Gul appreciated that the Fund has helped to build capacity of provincial governments and relevant departments and disbursed billions of rupees for projects across the country in a short span of just one year covering major interventions in flood protection infrastructure, water conservation structures to protect against droughts, early warning systems for tsunamis, retrofitting of public infrastructure, multi-hazard vulnerability risk assessments and community-based disaster risk management, up-gradation of Rescue 1122 services, and termed it a great success.
She claimed that the Fund has proven its credibility by initially securing funding from the Asian Development Bank and subsequently being chosen to host the upcoming Ecosystem Restoration Initiative to be funded by the World Bank. The trust of reputed donors in government-owned institutions like NDRMF is a good sign for the economy and a milestone for public sector governance in Pakistan.
While addressing a joint media briefing with CEO NDRMF, she claimed that due to NDRMF’s strict compliances and strenuous project appraisal mechanisms, the Fund has been selected to host the World Bank’s upcoming Ecosystem Restoration Initiative. NDRMF will now also finance projects related to afforestation, water recharge, marine life, and blue economy, biodiversity & land degradation and e-vehicles which is in line with the government’s vision to combat the effects of climate change in the region. The Fund will also provide funding for the Prime Minister’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami, which is a flagship project for the current government with international acclaim.
Minister for Climate Change, Zartaj Gul, reiterated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to make Pakistan a key global player in the fight against Climate Change. The trust of international donors in institutions like NDRMF, to finance relevant projects, is a key step in this process.
The Minister assured full support of the government to make NDRMF more effective and appreciated NDRMF commitment for reducing the socioeconomic and fiscal vulnerability of the country & its population to natural hazards and climate change. She commended CEO NDRMF for successful management of the fund and achieving milestones in short span of time, which has made a landmark with a new concept of financing investments in disaster risk reduction and preparedness that have high economic impacts.
