Pak envoy meets senior US official, discusses multilateral issues

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, discussed a host of issues, ranging from Pak-US multilateral cooperation on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to connectivity and digital inclusion, when he met US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, Ambassador Michele Sison, on Thursday, according to an embassy press release.

Following the meeting, the ambassador wrote on the Twitter, “It was a great pleasure to meet outstanding US Ambassador Michele Sison, Assistant Secretary International Organization Affairs. Discussed Pak-US cooperation on multilateral issues, connectivity and digital inclusion.”

The Ambassador termed the meeting as “productive conversation,” the press release said.

For her part, Ambassador Sison wrote, “Great meeting with Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan to further strengthen our multilateral cooperation including on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Bilaterally, Pakistan and United States are engaging each other vigorously to promote their ties in trade, investment, health, energy, agriculture and the tech sector, the press release said, adding that two countries would be collaborating and cooperating more closely at multilateral fora - United Nations, New York, UN organizations in Geneva and UN affiliated specialized organizations in Vienna, Nairobi, Italy and Paris.

Pakistan and the United States would be working collaboratively to address the issues related to food security, climate challenge and global financial architecture, it was pointed out. Moreover, the US and Group of 77 (developing countries) will have a dialogue to address matters of mutual interest. Currently, Pakistan is the chairman of the Group of 77 in New York.

Recently, a high-level United States-Pakistan Health Dialogue was held which has pushed forward the two countries’ cooperation in fighting pandemics, mother and child health, vaccine manufacturing and non-communicable diseases (NCD).