ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb departed from Islamabad on Monday to participate in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) being held in Seville, Spain, from July 1 to 3. The high-level conference brings together global leaders, policymakers, and development experts to discuss sustainable and innovative financing strategies aimed at accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, Aurangzeb will represent Pakistan in a series of main sessions and side events designed to address key financial challenges facing developing and emerging economies.
On the opening day of the conference, Aurangzeb is scheduled to co-chair a multi-stakeholder roundtable discussion titled “Leveraging Private Business and Finance”. He will also deliver a keynote address at the International Business Forum (IBF) Policy Dialogue on “Accelerating EMDEs (Emerging Market and Developing Economies) Investment: The Role of Credit Ratings”.
The finance minister will also address the general debate segment of the conference and participate in a roundtable on “Revitalising International Development Cooperation”, where he will outline Pakistan’s approach to global partnerships and collaborative development efforts.
As part of a UNICEF-hosted side event, Aurangzeb will speak at a dialogue on “Driving Capital Towards Children and Young People”, discussing the importance of innovative and sustainable financing tools for youth-centered development.
One of the highlights of Aurangzeb’s participation will be his role as chief guest at a special session titled “Swapping Out Debt for Development: The DCS (Distributed Control System) Financing Approach”. In his address, he is expected to present Pakistan’s perspective on debt restructuring and the role of deposit protection mechanisms in unlocking development finance.
In another key engagement, Aurangzeb will be a panelist at the IBF’s side event on “Scaling Up SME Finance”, where he will emphasize the importance of financial inclusion for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in driving economic growth and job creation.
Beyond his scheduled sessions, the finance minister will also hold bilateral meetings with prominent international figures. He is expected to meet with John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce, and Steven Collet, Vice Minister for Development of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
These engagements are aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s economic ties with global partners and exploring collaborative financing mechanisms.
“The finance minister’s participation at FFD4 underscores Pakistan’s commitment to promoting innovative financing solutions, strengthening international cooperation, and enhancing the country’s voice in global development discourse,” the Finance Division’s statement concluded.
The FFD4 summit comes at a critical time for emerging economies as they grapple with debt stress, climate change challenges, and the need for inclusive growth. Pakistan’s presence at the event signals its proactive engagement in shaping international financing frameworks that address these pressing issues.
