Pakistan, Maldives sign 20 MoUs, target $200m trade

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and the Maldives agreed to increase bilateral trade from $13.9 million to $200 million within the next two years, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Wednesday, as the two countries signed 20 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to expand cooperation across several sectors.

The pacts were signed during the three-day state visit of the President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, which is the first visit by the country's president in 11 years, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.

Speaking at a ceremony following the signing, PM Shehbaz said the trade target had been agreed with the "complete endorsement" of Maldivian President Muizzu.

"We will do our best jointly to raise this bilateral trade quantum from 13 million dollars to 200 million dollars in the next two years," he said.

Shehbaz said existing trade, valued at $13.9 million, represented only a fraction of the countries' economic potential.

He said the two sides had held "very productive and very fruitful discussions" on economic and trade relations, strategic defence cooperation and training in policing, defence, education and health.

Highlighting existing cooperation in healthcare and education, he said a large number of Maldivian students had studied at Pakistani universities and colleges, particularly in healthcare.

"About 250 Pakistani doctors are serving the cause of suffering humanity along with Pakistani paramedics in Maldives and other places in your great country," he said, adding that Pakistan was willing to provide more professionals to meet the Maldives' needs.

Shehbaz announced that Pakistan would support the Maldives' plan to plant five million trees by providing 100,000 olive cuttings and 100,000 seeds of different plant species.

The material would be provided "in due course of time with mutual understanding", he said.

Pakistan was also ready to provide technical expertise under the agreements. The prime minister welcomed the Maldives' efforts to establish data centres, saying Pakistan had developed its own technical capabilities and would be willing to share its experience.

"We have already set up various data centres in various parts of Pakistan starting from half megawatt to eight and a half megawatt," he said.

The prime minister also welcomed the Maldives' support for Palestine, "Maldives fully supports the cause of Palestine steadfastly and in an unwavering fashion," he said. "Pakistan stands fully committed to the cause of Palestine and their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign and contiguous state of Palestine in accordance with relevant UN resolutions," he added.

The prime minister said he had also briefed President Muizzu on Pakistan's position on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, reiterating Islamabad's support for a peaceful resolution in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

He also raised Pakistan's concerns over India's decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, stressing that international agreements must be respected.

"Legally binding treaties must be respected, and shared water resources must never be weaponised or used as an instrument of political pressure or blackmail," he said.

Referring to his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, PM Shehbaz repeated, "Water is a red line for Pakistan." He added that any violation concerning shared water resources would be regarded by Pakistan as "an act of war".

Welcoming President Muizzu, PM Shehbaz said the visit was significant as it was the first by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years and coincided with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, established in 1966.

"We extend a very warm welcome to you on behalf of the people of Pakistan, my government and myself," he said.

The premier also expressed confidence that the visit would give bilateral relations fresh momentum and take them to a "stronger, broader and more substantive level".

He also congratulated President Muizzu on the honorary doctorate he was due to receive from the International Islamic University Islamabad in recognition of his leadership and public service.

The prime minister pledged to work personally with President Muizzu to ensure the agreements were implemented promptly.

"I will be very happy to personally work with you to translate these written MOUs into action with prompt decision-making and speedy implementation," he said.

President Muizzu, in his address, said the agreements marked an opportunity to move the relationship between the two countries into "a new era" of partnership, building on six decades of diplomatic ties.

"My visit is particularly significant because of the timing," he said. "It is 60 years since Pakistan opened diplomatic relations with the Maldives and those have been 60 years of warm friendship between us."

He said the visit, the first by a Maldivian president in a decade, offered "important opportunity not simply to celebrate the friendship of the past but to define the partnership of the future."

He thanked PM Shehbaz, the government and the people of Pakistan for the "exceptional warmth and gracious hospitality" extended to him, his wife and his delegation.