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ADB mission on finance due today

ISLAMABAD: Three important Asian Development Bank (ADB) missions on finance, industry and energy are visiting Pakistan this month to hold discussion with government authorities concerned regarding their respective fields.

The ADB mission on finance and industry will arrive on Thursday (January 20) to review the policy performance compliance for the release of $125 million, second tranche of the Capital Market Development Programme Loan, sources at the ADB said here on Wednesday.

In addition, this mission would also review the implementation performance of the Trade, Export Promotion and Industry (Tepi) programme loan, the sources said adding, the Industry (Tepi) programme loan, the sources said adding, the first tranche of $200 million of Tepi was already disbursed in January 1999.

Another mission from Asian Development Bank energy department would be visiting Pakistan from January 21 to February 04.

This mission would hold discussion with the government regarding its policy for the development of the energy sector, privatisation of public sector utilities and reviewing the power sector performance for the proposed power Sector Restructuring Programme Loan.

Third mission from ADB Programmes Department would be in Pakistan from January 26 to February 08, to review the 2000 operational programme for Pakistan as agreed during the May 1999, Country Programming Mission, to ensure that the programme would be feasible and appropriate in the changed economic and political environment.

The mission will also discuss the government announced interests and plans on decentralisation, governance, poverty reduction and performance based programming, the sources added.

In addition to holding discussions with the federal government, the programme confirmation mission would also be visiting the four provinces to meet with the respective chief secretaries (development) and discuss with them the provincial development priorities, sources maintained. APP