Brussels, 28 November 2023 (TDI): Interim Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Jalil Abbas Jilani, is on an official visit to Brussels, Belgium. The Foreign Minister is to attend the International Conference on a Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling on 28th November.
The Foreign Minister is undertaking the visit at the invitation of the European Commissioner for Migration of Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson.
During the meeting with Ylva Johansson, both discussed the developments in the context of the Migration and Mobility Dialogue.
They also agreed to strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and the European Union for exploring legal pathways for migration.
The Conference which will be held on a ministerial level, will feature the participation of members of the European Union, the European Parliament, EU Justice and Home Affairs agencies, partner countries of origin and transit, as well as various international organizations.
At the conference, the Foreign Minister will shed light on the measures undertaken by Pakistan to mitigate irregular migration.
He will also underscore the legal pathways of migration as a viable alternative within the framework of the recently launched Migration and Mobility Dialogue with the European Union.
During his visit, the Foreign Minister met with the Vice-President of the European Parliament and the Rapporteur of the new GSP Plus Scheme, Heidi Hautala.
Jalil Jilani and Heidi Hautala agreed to further strengthen and deepen the trade relations. They both also agreed on the role of GSP Plus as a template for mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Foreign Minister also engaged in a meeting with the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister.
Both exchanged views on the latest regional and global developments and agreed to enhance parliamentary engagement and dialogue for deepening of relations between Pakistan and the European Union.
Recently during his visit, Jalil Jilani held talks with the Commissioner of European Union Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen.
Both leaders discussed the ongoing development cooperation engagement between the European Union and Pakistan.
They also agreed to intensify the collaboration under the European Union Flagship projects including Global Gateway and Horizon Europe.
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