US reaffirms commitment to advancing ties with Pakistan

Counsellor Chollet holds extensive talks with senior civil, military leaders

ISLAMABAD:

The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing bilateral relationship with Pakistan, expanding the full range of trade, security, education, people-to-people, climate, and clean energy cooperation.

The understanding was reached during several meetings between senior Pakistan officials and a visiting interagency delegation, led by US State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet on Thursday and Friday, the US Embassy and the Foreign Office said.

In Pakistan, Counsellor Chollet held separate talks with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Army Chief Gen Asim Munir, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Minister of State for Finance Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha and Foreign Secretary, Dr Asad Majeed Khan.

“Counsellor Chollet discussed a wide range of issues including strengthening economic ties, cooperating to address the impacts of the climate crisis, expanding our people-to-people connections, and conveying US solidarity with the Pakistani people as they continue to recover from the devastating 2022 floods,” the embassy said in a statement.

“The US government will build on the dialogues of the counsellor’s visit at the first Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council since 2016 next week and the second Energy Security Dialogue and Climate and Environment Working Group this Spring,” it added.

During the visit, Counsellor Chollet was accompanied by senior US officials, including US Agency for International Development Counsellor Clinton White and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Pakistan Elizabeth Horst.

According to the embassy statement, the visit provided a chance to learn more about the progress Pakistan has made so far in response to the floods and how the United States and other donors and partners could most effectively support Pakistan’s resilient recovery.

“The United States and Pakistan have a robust partnership based on decades of bilateral cooperation and support, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship in trade, investment, climate, clean energy, health, security, education, and other shared priorities,” Chollet said.

The embassy said that Chollet and Bilawal discussed strengthening of the bilateral partnership, including increased economic cooperation and Pakistan’s needs as it continues to recover and rebuild following the floods. In a meeting with Army Chief Gen Munir, Chollet discussed security cooperation and counterterrorism efforts.

At a meeting with Dr Pasha, the US delegation also talked about economic reform and improving the regulatory environment in Pakistan to boost foreign investment, including from US businesses.

Chollet also met with Iqbal to discuss Pakistan’s flood recovery and future opportunities within the US-Pakistan Green Alliance. “Through the Green Alliance, our two countries will support each other to holistically strengthen climate resilience, pursue energy transformation, and foster inclusive economic growth,” the statement said.

During the visit to the Foreign Ministry, Chollet and Foreign Secretary Dr Asad Majeed discussed bilateral ties. Chollet expressed US solidarity and support with Pakistan and its people in recovery from the 2022 floods, according to the Foreign Office statement.

“The foreign secretary expressed satisfaction on the second Mid-level Defence Dialogue and the upcoming Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting in Washington,” the statement continued.

“He emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation through the institutionalised dialogues in trade and investment, energy, security, climate change and health,” the Foreign Office added.

During the meeting, the foreign secretary stressed the need for expanding bilateral cooperation in agriculture, education, information technology (IT), and science and technology.

The US embassy said that the US government was dedicated to expanding the full range of trade, security, education, people-to-people, climate, and clean energy cooperation and ties between the Pakistani and American people.