LAHORE: The second round of Development Talks between the Planning & Development Board (P&D Board) Punjab and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK reviewed progress on key development priorities and explored avenues for strengthening cooperation between Punjab and the United Kingdom.
The talks were chaired by Dr Naeem Rauf, Chairman P&D Board Punjab, and focused on reviewing commitments made during previous discussions and assessing progress across four priority areas: education, health, climate resilience and economic growth.
Under the education agenda, participants discussed girls’ education, improving data on out-of-school children, education research and skills accreditation. The discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening evidence and data to improve educational planning and outcomes.
The health component covered family planning, reforms in nursing and midwifery, and the Evidence for Health (E4H) Programme, with an emphasis on strengthening healthcare systems and improving evidence-based decision-making.
Climate resilience also remained a key focus of the talks. Discussions included water resource accountability, disaster resilience and the Climate Investment Fund, reflecting the growing importance of climate adaptation and sustainable management of natural resources in Punjab.
Under the growth agenda, the two sides discussed sub-national governance, revenue mobilisation and sustainable economic development, with a focus on strengthening institutional capacity and supporting inclusive economic growth.
Dr Naeem Rauf appreciated the FCDO’s continued support for Punjab’s development priorities and reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to deeper cooperation with the UK.
He stressed the importance of partnerships based on inclusive, sustainable and evidence-based development, aimed at delivering tangible benefits for communities across Punjab.
The second round of Development Talks provided an opportunity for both sides to review progress, identify areas requiring further cooperation and strengthen coordination on shared development priorities.
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