Defence, trade, health and energy: Trump Admin engagement plan in final stages

ISLAMABAD: The government is said to be giving final touches to its strategy for engagements with the new Trump Administration in different fields including defence, trade sectors, health and energy, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.

In this regard, an inter-ministerial meeting was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in which different options of engagement with the new Administration came under discussion, the sources added.

During the IMM, representatives from all Ministries were requested to give their feedback/updates on the status of pending issues with the US as well as any new proposals for the new US government in writing.

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According to sources, MoFA has asked all the concerned Ministries, as tasked by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), to prepare a comprehensive presentation on engagement with the new Trump Administration. Feedback on pending issues, as well as fresh proposals in related fields from concerned Ministries/Organi-sations is, therefore, urgently required for preparation of the same.

MoFA asked the concerned Ministries/Organi-sations, ie, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of National Food Security & Research, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordina-tion, Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Federal Education and Special Training, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of National Health, Regulation & Coordination, Petroleum Division, Power Division, Ministry of Interior, Special Investment Facilitation Council, etc, to send relevant materials (in soft and hard form) urgently to the focal person.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ambassador in Washington who is interacting with those nominated has also held a meeting with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, Geoffery Pyatt. During the meeting, the US side proposed the timeframe of mid-January for the third round of Energy Security Dialogue between Pakistan and the United States. The U.S. side has requested views of Pakistan in this regard.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the second round of Energy Security Dialogue was held on March 15, 2023 in Islamabad. It was chaired by former Federal Minister for Energy, Khurram Dastgir Khan, and Assistant Secretary of State, Pyatt. A Joint Statement was issued after the Dialogue.

On proposed timings of the dialogue, the Mission stated that a mid-January scheduling, prior to January 20 (inauguration of the new President), would mean holding of the Dialogue in the lame-duck period of the current US Administration.

There is a possibility that the new Trump Administration may not take ownership of any understanding. However, it could provide an opportunity to lock in commitments/understan-dings which could be carried forward with the incoming Administration.

The Mission has also highlighted the fact that the suggested timeframe indicates the intent of the outgoing Administration, especially Assistant Secretary of State Pyatt, to conduct the Dialogue before the new President takes oath. However, in case the Dialogue is held after January 20, it would be first high-level engagement with the new US Administration and could provide impetus to scheduling of other bilateral consultation mechanisms.

The Mission further contended that dialogue would provide an opportunity to discuss Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and use of renewable energy products, including hydropower projects, investments in improving Pakistan’s power transmission/distribution network, LNG terminals, and increased private-sector financing by International Development Finance Corporation.

The Mission has requested for an early feedback on possible scheduling in consultation with the Ministry of Energy Power Division and Petroleum Division.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024