MM Report
DAVOS: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met with Bill Gates on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, where discussions centered on Pakistan’s ongoing reform agenda, public health priorities, and ways to strengthen cooperation with the Gates Foundation to support sustainable development and institutional capacity building.
During the meeting, Aurangzeb acknowledged the Foundation’s long-standing support to Pakistan, highlighting its pivotal role in the country’s polio eradication efforts. He praised the continued engagement of the Foundation in addressing public health challenges and in strengthening service delivery across the nation, noting that such partnerships had been crucial in advancing Pakistan’s broader development goals.
Bill Gates provided an overview of the Foundation’s ongoing and planned initiatives in Pakistan and emphasized the importance of sustained efforts to achieve polio eradication. He underscored the need for continued collaboration between international partners and the Pakistani government to ensure the success of these programs.
The Finance Minister also expressed gratitude for the Foundation’s recent endorsement of Pakistan’s efforts to digitize its taxation system, describing it as a significant step in modernizing institutional processes and improving governance. Both sides reiterated their commitment to building on a relationship grounded in trust, shared objectives, and a dedication to inclusive development.
The meeting was seen as a reaffirmation of a longstanding partnership, highlighting the potential for continued collaboration to support Pakistan’s public health, institutional reforms, and broader development ambitions.
