Business communities, teams: Pakistan, Canada push for stronger trade links

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Canda emphasized the importance of strengthening trade and economic cooperation, highlighting the need to support their business communities and facilitate trade delegations.

The two sides reached this understanding during the sixth round of bilateral political consultations held in Islamabad on Saturday, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

On behalf of Pakistan, Ambassador Nabeel Munir, Special Secretary (United Nations) joined by Director General (Americas) participated in the consultations while the Canadian side was represented by Ambassador Weldon Epp, Assistant Deputy Minister (Indo-Pacific) from Global Affairs Canada and the High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan.

The two sides expressed satisfaction over the steady growth of bilateral relations marked by recent substantive interactions between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. The two countries noted that these engagements had provided strategic guidance and momentum to the partnership and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepen these ties.

READ MORE: Pakistan, Canada agree to strengthen bilateral trade

Recognizing the significant untapped potential in the relationship, both sides expressed their readiness to improve the implementation of existing agreements and identify new avenues for cooperation. In this regard, they emphasized the importance of strengthening trade and economic cooperation including greater support to business communities, facilitation of the trade delegations and enhanced institutional linkages.

The two sides emphasized cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture and agri-tech, mining and minerals, energy, climate change, artificial intelligence and information and communications technology, skilled workforce development, education and research, tourism and people-to-people exchanges as key drivers for taking the relationship forward. They also underscored the central role of investment in achieving sustainable and mutually beneficial growth and agreed to work towards encouraging private sector to explore emerging opportunities.

Pakistan and Canada also exchanged views on the evolving global and regional environment and discussed key multilateral issues of mutual interest.

Both sides agreed to maintain regular consultations and expressed confidence that sustained engagement would lead to new progress in the bilateral partnership.

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