US Consul General calls on KP CM

PESHAWAR, Sep 03 (APP): The newly appointed US Consul General in Peshawar, Thomas Eckert, paid a courtesy call on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here Wednesday. The meeting focused on matters of mutual interest, particularly, the ongoing projects in various social sectors being supported by the US government. Both sides also discussed in detail the prospects of investment and partnership in different fields, and agreed to further broaden the scope of cooperation in social sectors. Senior officials of the provincial government and the US Consulate were also present at the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that the provincial government valued the decades-long cooperation extended by American institutions in multiple social sectors. He added that the KP government was making substantial investments in its potential sectors to ensure sustainable economic growth and that the province required foreign investment in these areas. “We want not only aid but also trade and investment,” the chief minister remarked.
Ali Amin Gandapur highlighted that the province offered immense opportunities for investment in hydropower, tourism, minerals, water resources, agriculture, and several other sectors. He assured the US consul general that the provincial government would not only welcome American investment in these fields but would also extend every possible facility to investors.
The chief minister further pointed out that the province faced major challenges such as terrorism and climate change, adding that the government was undertaking long-term planning to address the adverse impacts of climate change. He also underlined the problem of drug smuggling, saying that the government was procuring modern scanners to curb the menace. Referring to the mineral sector, the chief minister said there were significant opportunities for joint ventures, particularly encouraging those investors who were willing to undertake value addition of mineral resources within the province.