By S.M. Inam
ISLAMABAD: The US Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan, Natalie Baker, announced that the US Export-Import (EXIM) Bank would invest $1.25 billion in the Reko Diq mining project in Balochistan under a bilateral partnership. Earlier, daily Metro Morning had already published a report regarding US bank’s investment in Reko Diq.
In a video statement shared on X by the US Embassy in Islamabad, Baker said the EXIM Bank had recently approved the financial support to bolster mining and critical minerals initiatives within the Reko Diq project. She explained that the funds aimed to strengthen collaboration between the two nations, with a focus on supplying high-quality American mining equipment and services.
“We are committed to providing $2 billion worth of top-tier American mining equipment and services to support the construction and management of the Reko Diq mine over the coming years,” Baker said. She added that the project was expected to create around 6,000 jobs in the US and 7,500 in Balochistan, bringing substantial benefits to both economies.
“This project will serve as a model for mining, creating employment opportunities for US exporters, as well as local communities and partners in Pakistan, benefiting both countries,” she said. Baker noted that similar agreements had been a central feature of US diplomacy under the Trump administration and reiterated the US commitment to further partnerships in Pakistan’s mining sector.
Baker also met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations. According to a Foreign Office press release, Dar emphasized the importance of close Pakistan-US ties and the need for continued cooperation across multiple areas.
