UNIDO to mobilise $40m for Sindh rural development, climate-resilient projects

UNIDO to mobilise $40m for Sindh rural development, climate-resilient projects

KARACHI: The Sindh government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on Thursday agreed to deepen cooperation for inclusive rural development, climate-resilient infrastructure and employment generation, with UNIDO planning to mobilise around $40 million for a dedicated programme for the province. The understanding was reached at a meeting between Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and UNIDO Deputy Director General and Managing Director Ms Fatou Haidara at the CM House. According to a press statement issued by the CM House, the commitment includes mobilising around $40 million from international donors and investors for a dedicated five-year development programme for Sindh under UNIDO’s Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) 2025-2030 aimed at inclusive economic growth, climate-resilient infrastructure and employment generation. Ms Haidara informed the chief minister that Pakistan had already signed the PCP framework with the UNIDO and that the organisation now intended to formulate a Sindh-specific programme based on the province’s development needs and priorities. The chief minister welcomed the initiative and said that the provincial government was ready to pursue it in coordination with the climate change ministry and other relevant federal stakeholders and to seek its endorsement as a priority development programme. The meeting, attended among others by Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Planning & Development Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Special Assistant to CM on Investment Syed Qasim Naveed and P&D Chairman Najam Shah, also reviewed progress under the European Union-funded Poverty Alleviation and Inclusive Development Across Rural Sindh (PAIDAR) programme. The UNIDO delegation included Asia-Pacific Region Chief Jie Zhao, Officer-in-Charge Badar-ul-Islam and National Technical Advisor for PAIDAR Farooque Ahmed Siddiqui. Minister Shoro told the meeting that PAIDAR, being implemented by UNIDO with a €49.55 million EU grant, was working across Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Thar­parkar and Larkana districts to reduce poverty, strengthen local economies, improve public services and create employ­ment opportunities for women and youth. The programme combines investment in rural infrastructure and community facilities with financial grants for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), technical assistance and institutional capacity-building. The chief minister appreciated PAIDAR’s contribution to rebuilding flood-affected communities through climate-resilient settlement planning in collaboration with the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF). Special Assistant Qasim Naveed cited examples of beneficiaries who had converted financial assistance into viable businesses, including a woman entrepreneur who opened a restaurant in Badin and an entrepreneur in Larkana who set up a pasta-making facility linked to a flour mill. The meeting was informed that Community Resilient Settlement Development Plans (CRSDPs) had been prepared for around 300 villages across the five PAIDAR districts, laying the foundation for climate-informed planning and resilient infrastructure. It was informed that following the development of a model village at Lakho Bhambhro in Thatta in collaboration with the SPHF, the UNIDO was supporting the expansion of the approach to an additional 100 villages. The initiative integrates safe drinking water, sanitation, drainage, roads and energy-efficient facilities to enhance living conditions and strengthen resilience to climate risks. The programme is also supporting Rural Growth Centres (RGCs) to improve access to public services and boost local economic activity. The meeting was informed that PAIDAR would support skills development for 200 young people from the five target districts through reputable training institutions. The nine-to-12-month programmes will focus on emerging and market-oriented trades, including hospitality, electric vehicles, solar technologies and other sectors with strong employment and entrepreneurship potential. The meeting also reviewed UNIDO’s technical assistance for the Sindh Development Portfolio Management System (SDPMS), being implemented with the Planning and Development Department to modernise management of the provincial development portfolio. The model village initiative integrates essential community infrastructure, including safe drinking water, sanitation, drainage, roads, energy-efficient facilities, and other improvements designed to enhance living conditions and strengthen resilience to climate-related risks. The programme is also supporting the development of Rural Growth Centres (RGCs) to improve access to public services, strengthen local economic activity, and create opportunities for enterprise development. The chief minister appreciated the integrated approach and stressed the importance of ensuring that community infrastructure and livelihood initiatives deliver lasting benefits to rural populations. Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2026