Pakistan Deepens Economic Cooperation with Saudi Arabia and IFC to Boost Investment and Private-Sector Growth
Pakistan is stepping up efforts to attract foreign investment and accelerate sustainable economic growth through enhanced cooperation with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), following high-level meetings on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok.
BANGKOK, Thailand — Pakistan is stepping up efforts to attract foreign investment and accelerate sustainable economic growth through enhanced cooperation with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), following high-level meetings on the sidelines of the 2026 World Bank Group–IMF Annual Meetings in Bangkok.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, held separate meetings with Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Fund for Development, and Imad Fakhoury, IFC Regional Vice President for the Middle East and Central Asia.
During the meeting with the SFD chief, the Saudi fund reaffirmed its continued support for projects it finances in Pakistan within its mandate. Both sides reviewed progress on ongoing development initiatives and emphasized the importance of establishing a fresh pipeline of projects to sustain and expand bilateral cooperation.
Aurangzeb expressed condolences over the loss of lives in recent incidents in Saudi Arabia and thanked the Kingdom for its longstanding support to Pakistan. He also highlighted improvements in Pakistan’s macroeconomic position and its renewed access to international capital markets.
Discussions focused on expanding bilateral trade and investment, strengthening private-sector engagement, following up on the bilateral investment protection agreement and exploring opportunities for refinery upgrades.
In his separate meeting with IFC’s regional vice president, Aurangzeb discussed ways to strengthen the institution’s support for private-sector-led growth, job creation and the transformation of macroeconomic stability into sustainable economic development.
The discussions covered IFC’s expanding portfolio, financing for small businesses, entrepreneurship, capital markets, and green and digital bonds. Aurangzeb reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Reko Diq project and appreciated IFC’s leadership in financing.
The two sides also explored opportunities in mining infrastructure and value addition, affordable housing, developer financing and agricultural development through improved storage facilities, cold-chain infrastructure and electronic warehouse receipt financing.
Further discussions focused on increasing private-sector participation in livestock development and supporting pharmaceutical exports through stronger regulatory standards and investment. Infrastructure cooperation, including public-private partnerships in water services, advanced electricity metering and financing mechanisms for provincial projects, was also reviewed.
The meetings underscore Pakistan’s efforts to mobilize development financing, expand international investment partnerships and strengthen the role of private enterprise in economic growth. Turning these discussions into concrete projects and investment commitments will be crucial to sustaining economic momentum and generating long-term employment opportunities.