Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will visit Washington DC today – Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Pool photo via AP

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is in Washington, DC, today for meetings with government officials and congressional leaders.

Today’s talks will center around trade, investment, and economic development. Climate resilience is expected to emerge as a critical point of discussion, with Zardari sharing Pakistan’s recent experience with flooding due to climate change.

Food insecurity, displacement, and damage to water supply systems are some of the major consequences of unprecedented floods in Pakistan. Following the floods, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) established teams to coordinate flood responses in Islamabad. Since October, USAID has released $71 million in bilateral development aid to Pakistan.

Moving forward, the United States will look towards coordinating with multilateral entities, such as the United Nations, to allocate funds and other forms of humanitarian assistance to Pakistan. Bilateral assistance and development aid will likely be aligned with Washington’s objectives through the Investment Promotion Activity program implemented by USAID in Pakistan, deepening commercial ties in consumer goods, chemicals and energy, that make up the bulk of US investment in Pakistan. In the short term, humanitarian aid is expected to continue following the approval of $84 million in aid requested for FY2023.