The government has held discussions with the Gates Foundation to deepen collaboration in human capital, health, financial inclusion and digital innovation, with artificial intelligence emerging as an important area of cooperation. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb met a high-level Gates Foundation delegation led by Dr Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division, and Kalpana Kochhar, Interim President of the Global Policy and Advocacy Division. The meeting covered a range of development priorities, including maternal and child health, nutrition, women’s economic participation, digital technologies and access to finance. The Gates Foundation also reaffirmed its continued engagement with Pakistan and interest in expanding collaboration across these areas.
A key part of the discussion focused on the use of artificial intelligence to improve healthcare outcomes. Dr Anita Zaidi briefed the minister on the Foundation’s maternal health initiatives and highlighted work involving the LUMS AI Hub and provincial governments. These initiatives include developing personalized solutions for women and families during pregnancy and delivery, along with AI applications designed for environments where internet connectivity is limited. The solutions are also being developed with local-language capabilities and compatibility with basic Android devices, potentially allowing digital health services to reach communities with limited access to advanced technology.
The meeting also explored the government’s wider digitalization agenda, including the use of technology and data to improve public-sector efficiency. Senator Aurangzeb highlighted efforts to increase the use of digital technologies in government operations, while the government and Gates Foundation discussed opportunities in agriculture, the digital economy and private-sector investment. The Foundation also expressed interest in supporting greater access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises through improved information flows, digital footprints and cash-flow-based lending. While these discussions include a financial inclusion component, the broader engagement is focused on using digital systems, data and technology to address development challenges across multiple sectors.
The Gates Foundation’s engagement also includes a South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa programme combining cash transfers, nutrition support, livelihoods training and access to citizen facilitation centres for women. The programme is expected to reach around 170,000 women and 450,000 children this year. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation across human capital, health, financial inclusion and digital innovation, with knowledge sharing, technical expertise and international experience identified as important areas for continued collaboration.
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