UK for making DFID programme more effective
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan and United Kingdom discussed a long term Development Partnership Arrangement (DPA), between the two governments for a period of ten years with a view to provide Pakistan with predictability and increase the effectiveness of DFID aid assistance.
Gareth Thomas, MP, the UK's Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development and Stephen Timms MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who are currently visiting Pakistan called on the Minister of State for Economic Affairs Ms Hina Rabbani Khar here on Wednesday. Both sides discussed over all situation and matters of common interest. The DPA will set out the shared and individual commitments in the development partnership made by the two governments. It will provide a transparent framework for mutual accountability for implementation of the development partnership.
The letter of intent of DPA was signed by the Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Shaukat Aziz in March, 2006. After a consultative process the DPA is now being finalized for signing. The delegation also discussed about the progress over DFID's budgetary support to Pakistan Poverty Reduction Support amounting to pound 80.00 Million. Goal of the support is to reduce poverty in Pakistan. MoU of this grant support was signed between the two countries in March, 2006.
This support is stretched over a period of three years and first tranche of pound 20.00 Million was released in March, 2006.
The delegation was informed of the increase in the amount and effectiveness of funds government is spending for poverty reduction to implement its Poverty Reduction Support Programme in order to achieve the targets set out in MDGs.
Based on satisfactory performance of the government of Pakistan the UK side announced immediate release of the supplementary tranche of pound 10.00 Million.