US renews pledge to strengthen bond with Balochistan people
Donald Bloom. FILE
US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, expressed the United States’ profound connection with the people of Balochistan during his visit to Gwadar, reaffirming the commitment to strengthen this special bond.
His visit served as a testament to the United States’ dedication to the well-being of the Balochistan region and explored avenues for enhancing development, trade, and commercial ties.
Ambassador Blome underscored the history of fruitful collaboration between the US and Balochistan. He highlighted the US government’s crucial role in providing assistance during last year’s devastating floods, which reached 661,000 individuals through food and vital cash aid. Additionally, nearly 90,000 children received nourishing meals to combat the threat of starvation.
Over the past year, with US support, 41 health facilities underwent successful renovation. In the realm of education, the US is actively bolstering programs at BUITEMS and Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University, empowering the next generation through literacy and educational materials in local languages, including Balochi.
During his visit, Ambassador Blome engaged in productive discussions with political leaders, representatives from the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce, and a diverse group of government and private sector figures.
In these conversations, he reiterated US support for Balochistan’s holistic development, spanning economic growth, disaster relief and readiness, security, the advantages of US trade and investment, and measures Pakistan can adopt to enhance its investment climate.
His meeting with members of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce focused on strategies to increase US trade and investment in sectors such as business, logistics, tourism, fisheries, and the blue economy. The participants emphasized that nurturing these business relationships can foster inclusive, locally-driven growth in Balochistan while creating job opportunities. They also discussed how these partnerships can boost technical skills in the region and contribute to the growth of bilateral trade.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 13th, 2023.