Sindh seeks $350m from World Bank for flood resilience project

Sindh seeks $350m from World Bank for flood resilience project

KARACHI: The provincial government has sought financial assistance of $350 million from the World Bank for the Sindh Flood Resilience Project (SFRP) for the fiscal year 2026-2027. A meeting held between Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro and a World Bank delegation reviewed measures to tackle flood risks, protect urban areas from natural disasters and support the development and rehabilitation of major cities and other important towns in Sindh. The World Bank delegation included Lead Urban Specialist Saleem Rouhana, Task Team Leader & Disaster Risk Management Specialist Bilal Khalid, and Amparo Semper Heraldo. Irrigation Secretary Zarif Khero, Planning & Development Board Chairman Najam Ahmed Shah and others represented the provincial government. Govt wants to strengthen rural and urban infrastructure to withstand future floods, climate threats, Shoro tells WB delegation Speaking on the occasion, Minister Shoro emphasised that the Sindh government’s priority was to strengthen not only rural areas but also urban infrastructure to withstand future floods and climate threats. “Sustainable urban planning, effective drainage systems, improved urban governance and modern technology will play a vital role in making Sindh more resilient against natural hazards,” he said. The meeting was briefed on the damages caused by the devastating 2022 floods in Sindh, ongoing rehabilitation efforts and proposed strategies to address future climate-related disasters. It was highlighted that the floods affected 14.6m people, caused $9.1 billion in financial and infrastructure losses and damaged or destroyed 1.71m houses. The meeting was informed that ongoing projects supported by the World Bank have already mobilised $1.6bn. Under these projects, more than 848 kilometres of roads and 205km of protective embankments had been restored, over 900,000 houses repaired or rebuilt and 26 modern Rescue 1122 stations have been established across 14 districts. For the fiscal year 2026-2027, the proposal for $350m financial assistance under the SFRP was presented. Detailed briefings were given on the proposed project’s Pillar 1, basin-level flood resilience, aimed at protecting Sindh’s right bank from future flood disasters. These measures were identified through recent research by the globally renowned Asian Institute of Technology. Briefings were also given on Pillar 2, urban resilience, which seeks to make Sindh’s secondary cities safer, stronger and more sustainable against floods, extreme heat and other climate risks. Urban investment priorities will be set considering flood risks, population vulnerability, lack of basic urban facilities and cities’ preparedness capacity. Regional investments in urban drainage, roads, streets, public spaces and eco-friendly green solutions are under consideration. Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026