Latest news with #humandevelopment
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistani finmin calls for reworking federal funding to provinces to reflect human development priorities
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday called for a rethinking of how federal funds are allocated to provinces, arguing that future disbursements should reflect human development indicators instead of just population size. Speaking at an event organized by the Ministry of National Health Services in connection with World Population Day in the federal capital, Aurangzeb said Pakistan's rapid population growth posed a serious challenge and must be addressed through coordinated, long-term policy interventions. 'As we move forward with revisiting and reviewing the NFC [National Finance Commission] award, the current allocation driver must be reconsidered,' he said while addressing the gathering. 'There are broader factors, such as human development indicators, which should be incorporated,' he added. 'These can help shape a revised formula for how we divvy up resources between the federation and the provinces.' The NFC is a constitutional mechanism that determines how financial resources are distributed from the federal government to Pakistan's provinces. The existing formula primarily weighs population, though there are several influential voices within the government demanding that future formulas consider a broader range of development metrics. The finance minister also noted Pakistan must confront two 'existential issues' — climate change and population growth — if it wants to reach its long-term goal of becoming a $3 trillion economy by 2047. 'Just think about it: 40 percent of children under the age of five in this country are stunted,' he said. 'If we don't address this, there is no sustainable path forward.' Aurangzeb noted the issue extended beyond food and sanitation, pointing to the need for birth spacing, women's education and family planning awareness. He also emphasized the scale of available resources for addressing these challenges. Referring to Pakistan's recently signed 10-year Country Partnership Framework with the World Bank, he said the agreement includes $20 billion in financing, with $600–700 million annually earmarked for population-related measures. 'We have a lot of funds already at our disposal, provided we find the right places to invest and prioritize them correctly,' he said. Aurangzeb also argued that Pakistan's total development spending across federal and provincial budgets exceeds Rs 4.2 trillion ($14.7 billion). 'The issue isn't funding,' he said. 'We must shift from infrastructure-heavy thinking to human capital investments.'
Zawya
08-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Egypt, UNDP discuss expanded cooperation on medical waste management, human development
Egypt's Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, met with Alessandro Fracassetti, the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Resident Representative in Egypt, to explore avenues for deepening cooperation—particularly in the areas of medical waste infrastructure and human development. Health Ministry Spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar stated that the minister welcomed Fracassetti and praised his contributions during his tenure in Cairo, reaffirming Egypt's commitment to strengthening collaboration with the UNDP. The discussions focused on ongoing joint projects and future funding strategies, with special attention to the development of a medical waste management complex in Suez Governorate. The minister directed Anwar Ismail, his aide for national projects, to draw up a clear timeline for the infrastructure upgrade of the complex. The two sides also explored potential areas for enhanced cooperation in human development, in line with Egypt's national priorities to build citizens' capabilities and improve the quality of healthcare services. Minister Abdel Ghaffar underscored the importance of continued coordination in the lead-up to the Global Conference on Health, Population and Development, scheduled to be held in Cairo this November. Fracassetti expressed appreciation for the longstanding partnership with Egypt and praised the country's efforts in advancing human development. He reiterated UNDP's commitment to supporting the health sector to deliver tangible improvements for Egyptian citizens. The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides, including Deputy Minister Abla El-Alfi, Rady Hammad, Head of Preventive Medicine, and Susan El-Zanaty, Director of International Health Relations. Representing UNDP were Deputy Resident Representative Gummar Deeb and Programme Manager Abdel Razek Abu El-Ala.
Zawya
30-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egyptian Tax Authority applies amendments to VAT
Arab Finance: The Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) applied amendments to the value-added tax (VAT) to expand the tax base, which will reinforce the funding of human development programs, according to a statement. The authority indicated that these amendments will not affect the exemptions granted for food commodities, health, and education services, and will not change the general tax rate. Contracting activities will be subject to the general tax rate, instead of a 5% schedule tax, while allowing the deduction of taxes paid on production inputs. This could contribute to lowering contracting costs and encouraging compliance with the tax system. Shops and administrative units in non-commercial locations will continue to be exempt from the tax, while their counterparts in malls and commercial centers will be subject to a 1% tax on the sales or rental value, to achieve equal tax treatment. The amendments also included imposing a 10% schedule tax on crude oil, without affecting the prices of local petroleum products, given that the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) is the sole purchaser and will absorb the increase within its costs. © 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
