Pakistan, Japan vow to deepen economic cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Shinichi Kitaoka called on the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday.

He briefed the FM 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.

While acknowledging Japan’s role as an important development partner, the Foreign Minister highlighted new opportunities available in Pakistan for deepening trade and investment ties in the wake of growing investors’ confidence. He briefed the JICA President on the Government’s focus on socio-economic development and recent success in stabilization of the economy. He welcomed JICA’s focus on social issues, particularly water and sanitation.

Qureshi also appreciated signing of Memoranda of Cooperation (MoC) on Technical Intern Training Programme and Specified Skilled Workers Program between the two countries in 2019. The Foreign Minister said that 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 President of Japan International Cooperation Agency is on a four-day visit to Pakistan.