Germany backs Pak efforts to mitigate socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19: Bernhard

German Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck has said his country backed Pakistan in its efforts to overcome the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and build back better for a more sustainable future.

In a media interview, Ambassador Bernhard said the successful bilateral development cooperation between the two countries spanned over decades.

He said the current portfolio encompasses more than 500 million euros in the areas of renewable energy and climate change, sustainable economic development and good governance.

He said the German Government has decided to upscale its support to local Pakistani governments in their fight against the pandemic. It has made available 0.5 million euros to Pakistan to promote activities, which would help mitigate the socioeconomic effects of the pandemic at a local level.

Germany would also commit 6 million euros to support the Pakistani communities hosting Afghan refugees, to improve local health and education services, he added.

The ambassador said the projects would be implemented by the German development organization Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic.