It would be jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) Pakistan. Special Assistant to the KP chief minister on Industries and Commerce, Abdul Karim Khan was the chief guest on the occasion.
Besides, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SMEDA, Faud Hasham Rabbani, General Manager Out-Reach (GMOR) SMEDA, Javed Iqbal Khattak. provincial Chief SMEDA, Rashid Aman, presidents of various chambers of commerce, representatives of UNDP, USAID and a large number of experts from public and private sectors participated in the event.
The overall objective of the forum is to facilitate collaboration and partnership between different institutions/organizations and to reflect on ways to enhance investment of private sector companies (businesses and financial institutions) into the tribal districts of KP.
The forum will be comprised of 40 experts on economic development and private sector investment including representatives from the government, the business community, banks and micro-finance institutions, think-tanks, policy makers, academia as well as develop partners.
Addressing the function, the Special Assistant to KP CM, Abdul Karim Khan appreciated the joint forum established by the SMEDA and UNDP and assured full cooperation to the initiative.
He proposed that beside, English, the draft of the document to be prepared by the forum should also be compiled in Urdu. He assured that the provincial government will also provide resources for the purpose.
Zahidullah Shinwari, a former president of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and prominent businessman from tribal area also appreciated the formation of the forum for the economic development of merged districts.
He was of the confident that the economic recovery will automatically resolve 90 percent problems of the merged areas and termed the formation of the forum as a step in right direction.
Earlier, the CEO SMEDA Faud Hasham Rabbani highlighted in details the steps and initiatives taken by the authority for the development of SME sector in the country.
Briefing the participants regarding different SMEDA implemented projects in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that the authority under the Multi-Donors Trust Fund (MDTF) funded project Economic Revitalization of KP and FATA (ERKF) has grants to the tone of millions of rupees for the rehabilitation of SMEs in both KP and erstwhile Fata. He said that in future they will initiate more projects for sustainable development in the Fata
Earlier, GM-Out-Reach SMEDA, Javed Iqbal Khattak thanked both UNDP and USAID for expressing confidence in SMEDA by making it implementing partner of the project. Similarly, he also thanked both federal and provincial organizations for their sincere steps for sustainable development of the merged districts.
He said that under the Letter of Agreement (LoA) signed with UNDP, SMEDA will provide technical assistance in evaluating Business Development Plans of 4,350 entrepreneurs from NMDs. These entrepreneurs will receive the business support through the provision of in-kind grants.
These grants will help returnees re-establish their businesses, expand their existing businesses or establish new business in Khyber, South Waziristan and North Waziristan districts.