FM Qureshi for further deepening of Pak-Japan trade, investment ties

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Acknowledging Japan’s role as an important development partner, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday highlighted new opportunities available in Pakistan for deepening trade and investment ties in the wake of growing investors’ confidence.

He was talking to President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Shinichi Kitaoka, who called on him. He briefed the JICA president on the government’s focus on socioeconomic development and recent success in stabilization of the economy, a foreign office press release said.

The foreign minister welcomed JICA’s focus on social issues, particularly water and sanitation.

Shinichi Kitaoka briefed the foreign minister on JICA’s economic and technical assistance to Pakistan in important areas such as health, education, disaster management and promotion of agriculture and rural development.

The foreign minister also appreciated signing of memoranda of cooperation (MoC) on Technical Intern Training Programme and Specified Skilled Workers Programme between the two countries in 2019.

The foreign minister said this would be a mutually beneficial project in view of Japan’s aging population and Pakistan’s talented youth bulge.

The president of JICA emphasized that High Level Economic Policy Dialogue, which resumed recently, offers new avenues of bilateral cooperation for the two countries.
Both sides expressed firm resolve to further enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.

The JICA president is on a four-day visit to Pakistan.