PM Shehbaz urges D-8 countries to empower youth and support SMEs

PM Shehbaz Sharif highlights Pakistan’s large freelance community and heavy investment in youth IT training

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed that investing in youth is vital for building inclusive and robust economies capable of addressing both current and future global challenges.

Speaking at the D-8 Summit in Cairo on Thursday, PM Shehbaz highlighted the importance of youth and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in driving economic development. He noted that youth contribute energy, fresh ideas, and creativity, while SMEs are crucial for job creation, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The Prime Minister urged D-8 member states to prioritise youth empowerment and entrepreneurship, creating environments where small businesses can thrive.

He pointed out that Pakistan, with over 60% of its population under the age of 30, has vast potential for innovation and growth. However, unlocking this potential requires providing the right skills, opportunities, and financial resources.

PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasised that today's summit is an excellent opportunity for D-8 countries to share best practices, pool resources, and create cross-border programmes supporting youth and SMEs.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to fostering socio-economic development through its flagship youth programme, which focuses on education, job creation, and empowering young people to become job creators.

He mentioned that Pakistan is home to one of the largest freelance communities globally and is investing heavily in IT training to equip its youth with the necessary skills to engage with the digital economy.

The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of improving transport connectivity among D-8 member states to build efficient trade corridors and reliable supply chains.

Addressing the ongoing situation in Palestine and the Middle East, PM Shehbaz reiterated that a ceasefire in Gaza is critical for regional and global peace and prosperity.

Additionally, he welcomed Azerbaijan as a new member of the D-8 organisation, strengthening the group’s potential for economic cooperation.

Pakistan, Indonesia pledge to bolster cooperation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Indonesia's President Joko Widodo in Cairo on the sidelines of the D-8 Summit, discussing ways to enhance bilateral relations, especially in economic and trade sectors.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif congratulated President Widodo on his recent inauguration. Both leaders expressed a commitment to strengthening their countries' relations, focusing on political, economic, and trade cooperation.

PM Shehbaz emphasised Indonesia's role as a reliable trade partner for Pakistan, particularly highlighting the crucial import of palm oil from Indonesia to meet Pakistan's edible oil needs. Both leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining close communication to deepen bilateral ties.

The Prime Minister also expressed Pakistan’s keen interest in furthering its relations with ASEAN and thanked Indonesia for its support in Pakistan’s bid for Sectoral Partner status in ASEAN. PM Shehbaz expressed hopes that, with Indonesia's support, Pakistan could soon become a full Dialogue Partner of ASEAN.

In addition to bilateral matters, the two leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for Palestine, advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and a comprehensive approach to resolving the Palestinian issue. They reiterated their commitment to the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Prime Minister Sharif extended an invitation to President Widodo to visit Pakistan, which was accepted.

PM in Egypt to attend D-8

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday arrived in Egypt on a three-day official visit to attend the 11th Developing Countries (D-8) Summit in Cairo, themed "Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow's Economy".

At the summit, the premier will highlight the importance of investing in youth and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for a strong and inclusive economy based on employment generation, innovation and promoting local entrepreneurship, according to a PM Office press release.

He will demonstrate Pakistan's strong commitment to cooperate and implement the fundamental principles laid down by the D-8 besides emphasizing the importance of partnerships for mutual benefit and development among the participating countries, as well as cooperation in agriculture, food security and tourism.

The prime minister will highlight the steps taken by the Government of Pakistan for the empowerment of youth and their economic development.

He is also scheduled to attend the special session of D-8 on the Humanitarian Crisis and Reconstruction Challenges in Gaza and Lebanon to deliberate on the situation resulting from Israeli aggression in the Middle East.

He will underline Pakistan's principled position on the situation in Palestine and call for peace in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Shehbaz will also hold bilateral meetings with the heads of various countries who have come to attend the summit in Cairo.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi will attend the conference along with the prime minister.