APIA (SAMOA), Oct 25 (APP):Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday met with world leaders on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia to discuss matters pertaining to bilateral ties and exploring new avenues for investment.
In a meeting between Ishaq Dar and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Sam Matekane, the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the friendly ties between Pakistan and Lesotho anchored in shared values, mutual trust and cooperation at international fora.
They expressed their resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties and broaden cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, culture and people-to-people contacts.
In another meeting, the deputy prime minister held a meeting with Shirley Ayorker Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Republic of Ghana on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia.
Noting the upward trajectory of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Ghana, Deputy Prime Minister Dar and Foreign Minister Ayorker expressed their resolve to further strengthen friendly ties underpinned by shared values, mutual trust and cooperation at international fora.
They agreed to enhance further cooperation in diverse fields especially trade, Investment and education. Deputy Prime Minister invited Ghana to open a resident Mission in Islamabad further bolstering mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Ghana’s Foreign Minister congratulated the Deputy Prime Minister on election of Pakistan as the non-permanent member of United Nations Security Council for the term 2025-2026.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held another meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, where the two leaders noted the positive trajectory in Pakistan-Rawanda ties based on mutual respect and shared values.
They expressed their resolve to further strengthen bilateral engagement and cooperation in the economic domain, especially in trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges.
Noting the recent visits by the President of the Senate and the Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda, Deputy Prime Minister Dar expressed the keen desire of Pakistan to further strengthen friendly relations with Rwanda.
He also congratulated Rwanda for opening a High Commission in Islamabad.
Echoing the sentiments of Deputy Prime Minister Dar, Foreign Minister Nduhungirehe invited Pakistani businessmen to avail of the investment opportunities in Rwanda.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Dar also held a bilateral meeting with the Adviser for Foreign Affairs Bangladesh, Md. Touhid Hossain. This was the first meeting between the two dignitaries, following their assumption of office.
The deputy prime minister highlighted the historical, religious and cultural linkages between the two countries.
Deputy PM Dar and Foreign Minister Hossain agreed to advance high live dialogue and cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh, particularly in the areas of trade, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.
Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation at various multilateral fora. They also discussed the revitalization of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Likewise, the Deputy PM also held a meeting with Foreign Minister of Singapore Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan in which they reviewed the state of bilateral relations and underscored the need to broaden bilateral cooperation and dialogue.
The deputy prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to forge a broad-based relationship with Singapore anchored in strong economic, political and cultural cooperation.
The two sides also exchanged views on various regional and global issues and highlighted the need for comprehensive regional approaches to develop a coordinated response to emerging global challenges.
Ishaq Dar held another meeting with Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Anna Thandi Moraka wherein two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in trade and commerce.
The deputy prime minister appreciated the growing trajectory of mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and South Africa and expressed Pakistan’s desire to broaden trade and investment ties.
Deputy Prime Minister Dar and Deputy Minister Moraka underscored the need for regular engagement and dialogue between Pakistan and South Africa at the leadership level.
