The Government of Pakistan and the United States have renewed their cooperation in higher education through a new five-year agreement between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP).

The agreement covers the 2026-27 to 2031-32 financial years and will support a range of programs, including Fulbright master’s and PhD scholarships, visiting scholar opportunities, the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) program, and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship.

Under the agreement, 66 PhD scholars are expected to receive support over five years, alongside opportunities available through the other programs.

The initiative will continue to enable Pakistani scholars and academics to pursue advanced education, undertake high-quality research, strengthen professional expertise, and contribute to Pakistan’s socio-economic and institutional development upon their return.

HEC has committed to providing at least $4.54m annually, with total funding capped at Rs. 6.48 billion over the five years.

The agreed payment schedule provides for USD 2 million by June 30, a further USD 2 million by January 31, and the remaining balance by April 30, subject to the timely release of government funds.

Any interest earned on HEC funds held by USEFP will be reinvested in student grants, according to the agreement.

The renewed scholarship agreement follows the revival of the Pakistan-US Higher Education Working Group after a gap of almost 14 years.

The Working Group has provided an important institutional platform for sustained engagement between the two countries on higher education, scholarships, academic mobility, skills development, research collaboration, and other areas of mutual interest.

The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training said the renewed Fulbright-HEC partnership was one of the outcomes of the renewed engagement.

The selection process under the renewed agreement will remain strictly merit-based, with no fixed quotas for any particular group, region, or category.

HEC will participate directly in the selection panels and contribute to identifying priority fields of study aligned with Pakistan’s national development and strategic priorities.

This collaborative approach will ensure that the program remains responsive to emerging national requirements while maintaining the highest standards of academic merit, transparency, and inclusivity.

To strengthen oversight and assess program effectiveness, a Joint Review Committee, comprising representatives of the partner institutions, will meet twice annually to review program performance and impact.

USEFP will also provide HEC with annual audited financial statements, while relevant records will remain open for review by HEC upon reasonable notice, reinforcing transparency, accountability, and sound financial governance.

The renewed partnership also envisages broader cooperation beyond scholarship opportunities. HEC and USEFP will undertake joint visibility and awareness initiatives across Pakistan, drawing upon HEC’s extensive network of higher education institutions to expand outreach and ensure greater awareness of international academic opportunities.

The agreement further provides scope for exploring future collaboration in faculty and administrator exchanges and other academic and educational initiatives.

The new agreement builds upon the original Fulbright-HEC PhD partnership signed in February 2016, under which USD 25.786 million was committed to support 125 Pakistani scholars during FY 2016–20.

The signing ceremony for the renewed agreement was rescheduled from its original date following the passing of the father of Dr. Peter Moran, Executive Director of USEFP.

Minister of State Ms. Wajiha Qamar reaffirmed that education remains one of the strongest and most enduring bridges between Pakistan and the United States.

She emphasized that the revival of the Pakistan–U.S. Higher Education Working Group and the renewal of the Fulbright-HEC partnership demonstrate both countries’ commitment to moving from dialogue to tangible, long-term outcomes for students, scholars, universities, and institutions.

NAIROBI, Aug 11: Funding to tackle acute malnutrition in parts ‌of Somalia has dropped by more than 80% this year, Médecins Sans Frontières said on Tuesday, even though one in every four children screened in displacement camps in the southwest is severely malnourished.

MSF Health Adviser Mitchell Sangma said the United ​States had cut its support to aid agencies in the country from $70 million last year to ​no funding this year, leaving aid groups struggling to respond as needs rise. Other Western donors ⁠have also cut funding.

“This year we have admitted 22,000 nutrition cases, more than 80% higher than ​last year. When we need this massive scale-up in intervention measures, we are seeing less interest from donor ​support,” Sangma said.

A July survey by MSF of 888 households in 14 displacement sites in Baidoa, southwest Somalia, found that one in four children was severely malnourished. One third of families said they were surviving on one meal a day, while ​only 2% could afford three meals.

Somalia is facing a worsening hunger crisis after repeated failed rainy seasons devastated ​crops, killed livestock and depleted water supplies. Conflict and insecurity have compounded the crisis, disrupting livelihoods and limiting access to food, ‌healthcare ⁠and aid.

In February, the Somali government and the United Nations said about 6.5 million people in the country faced acute hunger due to drought.

MSF said it had screened more than 21,000 children under five in Baidoa since the start of the year, finding acute malnutrition rates of about 50%. Acute malnutrition is less extreme than ​severe malnutrition but still involves ​sudden weight loss ⁠and is life-threatening.

According to the United Nations, more than half a million people were displaced in Somalia in the first three months of 2026, with drought driving ​most of the movement. Women and children accounted for about 85% of those ​displaced.

The crisis ⁠is reviving fears of a repeat of Somalia’s 2022 near-famine, but aid agencies say the response is being constrained by severe funding shortfalls.

MSF says there is only about $300 million available for Somalia from donors, compared to $2.2 billion that was ⁠provided by ​donors in 2022 when a similar drought situation was experienced.

“The ​world cannot wait for a famine declaration before acting,” said Allara Ali, MSF’s project coordinator in Somalia. “Action is needed now to prevent ​loss of lives.”