U.S. and Pakistani government officials and business leaders have met to discuss a massive dam project in Pakistan.
At the meeting in Washington on October 8, Daniel Feldman, the U.S. Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, said the Diamer-Basha dam was the "smartest choice for Pakistan."
Feldman assured more than 120 investors and business representatives that the White House and the State Department were committed to backing Pakistan’s efforts for meeting its economic and energy needs.
USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah said, "the Diamer-Bhasha dam has the potential to accelerate broad-based economic growth across Pakistan.”
The dam is expected to generate some 4,500 megawatts of electricity when it is completed at an estimated cost of $14 billion.