EU funded BRACE Programme gets lauded across Balochistan for addressing grassroots poverty

02.12.2021

An EU mission led by Head of Cooperation , Mr. Ovidiu Mic, Head of Finance , Contracts and Audits , Ms. Virginie Lambotte , Development Advisor to EU , Mr. Arshad Rashid met with a host of stakeholders in Quetta such as  Parliamentarians from all the three houses of the Senate, National Assembly and the Balochistan Provincial Assembly both current and ex-members/Ministers, Secretaries to Government of Balochistan (various departments), Director Generals (various departments) Vice Chancellors of Leading Universities, Provincial Heads from UNICEF , UNDP, UNHCR, UNFPA and UN Women, heads of various civil society organizations and  other dignitaries from Balochistan . BRACE Programme aims at mobilizing and capacitating the rural communities for reinforced resilience, accessibility to basic services, improved livelihoods, economic growth, capacity enhancement of local authorities/governments to partner with communities for effective and efficient service delivery, and to assist the development of a strategic policy framework for institutionalization of these approaches.

Group of men during a meeting

During the discussion about the water table depletion in Balochistan, Mr. Ovidiu shared that “The European Union plans to work in Balochistan on water sector through a mega project starting in 2022”.  Mr. Nasrullah Zerai from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Honourable Member of Provincial Assembly “Thanked the EU delegation for continued interest in the province of Balochistan and appreciated the EU funded BRACE Programme for reaching far lung areas of Balochistan which were previously ignored and unreachable”

Mr. Abdul Khaliq Hazara from the Hazara Democratic Party, Minister for Youth, Sports and Cultural Affairs “Especially praised the EU funded BRACE Programme for having worked for the poorest of the poor in Balochistan”. He further added that EU has been able to engage youth of Balochistan in sports, livelihood and technical vocational training bringing them to a healthy sphere of life”