Arsalan informs CAIP forum: Sindh to benefit from climate resilience, urban uplift investments
MANILA: Sukkur Mayor and Spokesperson Sindh Government Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh has highlighted major climate resilience, urban development and municipal investment initiatives for Sindh, following his participation as a guest speaker at the Climate Adaptation Investment Planning Forum (CAIP) held at the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Addressing media, Shaikh…
Sindh's Government Mayor and Spokesperson, Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh, has disclosed major climate resilience, urban development, and municipal investment initiatives for Sindh at the Climate Adaptation Investment Planning Forum (CAIP) in Manila. Shaikh emphasized that climate change, including extreme heat, flooding, and water scarcity, represents a significant global challenge.
The CAIP Forum gathered government officials, development partners, and international financial institutions to explore integrated planning, climate-resilient infrastructure, and strategic investment partnerships. Shaikh met ADB Vice-President for South, Central, and West Asia, Yingming Yang, and expressed gratitude for ADB's assistance during the 2022 floods, inviting Yang to visit Sindh.
The Government of Sindh, in collaboration with ADB, is launching the Sindh Secondary Cities Improvement and Investment Programme, a USD1 billion (Rs278 billion) initiative for five major cities: Sukkur, Hyderabad, Larkana, Mirpurkhas, and Shaheed Benazirabad. The program emphasizes improving municipal services, such as clean water, wastewater, and solid waste management, as well as developing scientific landfill sites with resource recovery and revenue generation.
It also focuses on climate-resilient infrastructure, afforestation, comprehensive master plans, and detailed subsector development plans.
Shaikh stated that the Project Readiness Financing documentation is nearing completion and will be published soon. The program includes public-private partnership projects to enhance municipal service delivery, generate sustainable revenues, and financially self-sustaining municipal corporations. ADB Vice-President Yingming Yang assured full cooperation and support for the timely implementation of the program in partnership with the Government of Sindh and municipal corporations.
The commitment from international development partners highlights growing confidence in Sindh's urban development and climate resilience agenda.
Shaikh shared positive news about Sukkur, thanking The Rockefeller Foundation, the UK Government, and ADB for a USD2 million grant through the Urban Resilience Trust Fund for Sukkur's Climate and Heat Adaptation Investment Planning. The assistance is entirely grant-based and carries no repayment obligation or service charges. International consultants will start their work in November 2026 to prepare investment-ready projects, attract additional financing, and guide long-term improvements in essential services and heat resilience.
Shaikh highlighted the program's focus on protecting vulnerable communities, particularly low-income households and residents of Katchi Abadis, from extreme heat and climate change impacts.
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