Spokesman Report
Buner : Mr. Florian Karner, Senior Policy Officer (Pakistan) at the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), visited hydropower generation, disaster risk reduction and other community-based infrastrucutre projects in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
With German Government funding through KfW Development Bank, the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) developed a 36-kilowatt micro-hydropower station in Sarkalay and two Integrated Area Upgradation Projects (IAUPs) in Nawey Kaley, Buner. These schemes were developed under two separate projects: Development of Hydropower and Renewable Energy (HRE); and Livelihood Support and Community Infrastructure Project (LACIP). In Buner, these projects were implemented in collaboration with National Rural Support Programme (NRSP).
During the visit, Mr. Karner said that Germany values its long-term partnership with Pakistan which seeks to strengthen the sustainable development in the country. He commended the impact of diverse interventions of the lives of the remote communities who benefit from the projects.
Mr. Karner was accompanied by Mr. Sebastian Jacobi, Country Director KfW Pakistan, Mr. Nadir Gul Barech, Chief Operating Officer PPAF, Mr. Shams Badruddin, Group Head Infrastructure Development PPAF, Mr. Saeed Raza, Regional Program Manager NRSP, Mr. Imran Khan, Senior Sector Specialist (Governance) KfW.
The hydropower station is benefiting 895 individuals in three villages in Buner. While providing dependable power supply, the project has stimulated economic activity and addressed social issues. The two IAUPs comprise link roads and retaining walls, paved streets and sewerage facilities, and flood protection infrastructure (a wall, a causeway pipe and storm water drainage). The interventions benefitted 4,291 individuals whose access to socio-economic services have improved including health care and education. These IAUPs also mitigated the impact of flash flooding resulting from rain.
Mr. Sebastian Jacobi said seeing the development outcomes of German Development Cooperation with Pakistan was a matter of immense pride. With German Government funding, Mr. Jacobi remarked KfW would continue to conceive and deliver projects towards improved governance, sustainable economic development, climate change and energy. Mr. Jacobi hoped for the German Government financial cooperation with Pakistan realizing the best potential of the country and its people.
Mr. Nadir Gul Barech highlighted the role of PPAF in the community development and poverty alleviation across Pakistan. “The project funded by the Federal Republic of Germany aimed at lifting living standards of the target rural communities that remain underdeveloped and underserved and contribute to the socio-economic development of our target communities.”, he said.
Mr. Barech appreciated the support of the government of KPK and NRSP, and the local community’s role in organizing human capital, building their capacity for participatory development and implementation of infrastructure projects in Buner. Mr Barech thanked the people and the government of Germany on behalf of the project beneficiaries and PPAF for its unswerving support.