Pakistani Foreign Minister stresses on relation with Afghanistan

Beijing/Islamabad, 1 November 2022 (TDI): Today at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG), the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, gave a speech.

China was the host state of the SCO-CHG meeting and the summit was attended by the Head and representative of member states. The delegates from observers states of SCO also attended the meeting.

The Foreign Minister of Pakistan highlighted that the SCO Member States’ economic and trade cooperation needs to be strengthened.

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He emphasized that increasing connectivity inside the SCO region would result in maximizing the political and economic possibilities of collaboration within the organisation.

Foreign Minister Bilawal stressed on the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), while saying that the CPEC, complements the SCO’s aim of shared prosperity through regional connectivity and integration.

Bilawal Zardari reiterated the significance of Pakistan to the SCO. He underscored Pakistani efforts under various agreements and programmes to advance regional cooperation based on principles expressed in the “Shanghai Spirit”.

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The Foreign Minister also disclosed that the first meeting of the SCO Special Working Group on Poverty Alleviation will take place in Islamabad in December, while highlighting Pakistan’s experience with a number of successful programmes to combat poverty.

Moreover, he also thanked the SCO states for giving aid and showing solidarity with the people of Pakistan during the recent floods.

He noted the importance of common goal and cooperation among states to tackle the deteriorating situation of region due to climate change.

Additionally, he tried to persuade developed states to follow through on their efforts to provide climate finance in order to assist economic progress of developing states in addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development objectives.

The Foreign Minister noted the necessity of addressing the suffering from all types of terrorism, including state terrorism, in light of the significance of ensuring long term peace and security for regional economic development.

He stressed on sustained and practical relations with Afghanistan in order to assist the Afghan people in overcoming the humanitarian and economic crises of Kabul.

The CHG is the second-highest forum of the SCO, where Heads of Government of Member States discuss and offer policy recommendations on new regional and global issues related to regional connectivity, economic integration, and interstate cooperation on issues of a humanitarian and sociocultural nature.