British High Commissioner visits Peshawar to underline UK’s long-standing relationship with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

On his first visit, he met Ministers, parliamentarians, and development experts – discussing how the UK will continue a commitment which has already lasted more than 10 years.

The British High Commissioner was joined on his high-level visit with Country Development Director Annabel Gerry.

British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner, CMG, said:

The UK will continue working closely with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in future to help provide basic services like education and health, and build resilience against things like COVID-19 and flooding.

There is a great chance now to secure a more peaceful Afghanistan and this means greater regional trade, and closer connections. We also support inclusion and diversity, working to ensure women are part of the economy and girls have a full 12 years of education.

Dr Christian Turner and Annabel Gerry held meetings with the Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan and KP Minister for Local Government, Elections and Rural Development Department Kamran Khan Bangash. They also met with a group of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-focussed development experts.

They also met KP Finance and Health Minister, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, and Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood, XI Corps Commander. They held a meeting with members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to discuss political developments in the province, and ended with a visit to Peshawar Museum.

Notes to editors:

1. The UK Government is providing a portfolio of programmes to support the Provincial Government’s plan to deliver education, health, infrastructure (including schools and bridges), economic development, public finance management and local government reforms, rule of law, support to civil society, and to respond to humanitarian needs.

2. The UK’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Sector Programme (KESP) supports the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (GoKP) to deliver better quality education for more children. It aims to improve learning outcomes for all children, with an increasing focus on girls and marginalised groups.

3. Key results of UK aid in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:

a) KESP directly supports over 100,000 children to gain a decent education and benefits all 4.73 million children in public schools in KP.

b) It has supported the establishment of 1,800 community schools for girls (2,201 total schools), providing education to an additional 100,000 students (A total of 123,000 – of whom 65% are girls).

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