Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 11 February 2026
UNIC-Islamabad
11 February 2026
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UNDP
PRESS RELEASE
UNDP, Government of Pakistan Convene High-Level Dialogue on AI for Public Service Transformation and Inclusive Development
Islamabad, 11 February 2026 – Joining Pakistan's Indus AI week, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, and the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA), convened a high-level policy session titled “Shaping Pakistan’s Future with AI: Inclusive Development and Governance” to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can strengthen public services, improve governance, and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of “TECHdestiNATION Pakistan – Celebrating Innovation Across Pakistan Week”, the dialogue brought together experts to reflect on Pakistan’s readiness for AI-enabled development.
Opening the session, Dr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Resident Representative in Pakistan, emphasized the need to place people, inclusion, and strong governance at the center of Pakistan’s AI transformation. “AI can transform development outcomes at scale, but because this progress is neither automatic nor guaranteed to be equitable, investing in inclusive design, strong institutions, ethical standards, and robust data governance is essential for responsible AI.”
Reflecting on digital transformation and human development, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives (MoPD&SI), stressed that human intelligence drives AI, and that closing the skills gap is key to economic growth and inclusion.
The dialogue reflected on how to build and maintain digital foundations for an AI-enabled state and Pakistan’s broader AI readiness needs, including the shift from isolated pilots toward integrated systems, strengthening institutional skills and coordination, and establishing clear governance frameworks. Mr. Amos Peters from UNDP Asia-Pacific also highlighted how uneven AI adoption risks widening development inequalities, drawing on insights from UNDP’s report “The Next Great Divergence.”
Consultations continued with an inter-ministerial session on “AI for Public Service Transformation and SDG Acceleration,” which formed the core of the dialogue and featured Minister for Planning, Professor Ahsan Iqbal; Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Ms. Shaza Fatima Khawaja; Minister for Finance, Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb; and Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik. The discussion explored how AI can strengthen service delivery, fiscal governance, climate planning, and data-driven policymaking, including the use of objective, outcome-based criteria to prioritize public allocations. Speakers underscored Pakistan’s efforts to use AI for fiscal efficiency, compliance-focused revenue systems, responsible financial innovation, and evidence-based planning through better use of existing platforms and diverse data sources.
Through this dialogue, UNDP reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Pakistan in using digital innovation to strengthen governance, reduce inequalities, and ensure AI delivers inclusive and sustainable development outcomes.
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For further details, please contact Fizza Bangash, Communications Analyst at UNDP Pakistan, at fizza....@undp.org.
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UN-HABITAT
PRESS RELEASE
Government of Japan, UN-Habitat and JICA Sign Agreement to Strengthen Disaster Resilience of Schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Islamabad, 11 February 2026 — The Government of Japan, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an Exchange of Notes and a Grant Agreement during a signing ceremony held on 11 February 2026, for the project on ’Strengthen the disaster resilience of educational infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province’. The initiative is supported through a grant of JPY 427 million, equivalent to approximately USD 2.7 million, from the Government of Japan.
Due to the geographical characteristics, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is prone to climate‑driven hazards. The 2025 cloudbursts and flash floods damaged 437 schools, severely disrupting education services especially in Swat and Buner among the hardest-hit districts. The grant will support the rehabilitation and retrofitting of schools damaged by the 2025 floods in Swat and Buner districts. The project aims to restore safe, resilient and functional learning environments by strengthening school structures and improving ventilation and lighting. It will also reinstate gender-sensitive WASH facilities, ensuring dignity, privacy and accessibility for girls and children with disabilities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Ambassador of Japan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Akamatsu Shuichi, appreciated the collaborative partnership and reaffirmed Japan’s continued support to Pakistan’s resilience agenda. Ambassador Akamatsu emphasized that strengthening school infrastructure is a critical investment in protecting children and ensuring continuity of education in the face of climate induced disasters.
Ms. Kazuko Ishigaki, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UN-Habitat, highlighted UN-Habitat’s leadership in delivering safer learning environments. She noted that the retrofitted schools will provide structurally stable classrooms, improved ventilation, and essential WASH services, enabling children to learn with confidence, safety and dignity. By positioning schools as hubs for disaster preparedness and response, the project will extend preparedness and first-aid benefits to surrounding communities, strengthening local resilience and emergency response capacities.
Mr. Sugawara Takayuki, Senior Representative of JICA, emphasized that this project addresses the JICA’s approach to disaster risk reduction principally by “Promoting Build Back Better”. He mentioned that JICA promotes this concept to ensure that the country as a whole including the affected areas can rebuild in a way that is more resilient to future disasters. It is crucial not to repeat the same damage in a similar disaster to ensure sustainable economic and social development.
Mr. Mohamed Yahya, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, expressed appreciation to the Government of Japan and JICA for their partnership with Pakistan and the United Nations. He highlighted that the initiative aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and supports Pakistan’s implementation of the Sendai Framework, advancing resilience for the most vulnerable communities.
Through the construction and rehabilitation of disaster-resilient schools, along with the provision of disaster resilience training, this collaborative effort will contribute to the implementation of the Sendai Framework by reducing loss of life, the number of people affected, and economic damage caused by natural disasters, while advancing human security in flood-affected communities.
Contact Details:
For more information please contact:
Ms. Faiqa Aziz
Communication Officer, UN-Habitat
About the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat’s vision of “urbanization” encompasses all levels of human settlements, including small rural communities, villages, market towns, immediate cities and large cities and metropolises.
Website: https://unhabitat.org.pk/
LinkedIn: UN-Habitat, Pakistan - For Safe, Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Cities: Overview | LinkedIn
