Singapore, Pakistan to cooperate in agriculture, digital economy & digital finance

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Singapore
Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zaradri on left and Foreign Minister of Singapore, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan shaking hand at the delegation level meeting in Singapore.

Singapore, 10 December 2022 (TDI): On the invitation of the Foreign Minister of Singapore, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto visited Singapore and held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister and President of Singapore.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in a breakfast meeting met with his Singaporean counterpart on 9 December 2022 to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation, Foreign Office released a statement.

The two sides reviewed the state of bilateral relations and agreed to enhance bilateral engagements and cooperation. Moreover, Foreign Ministers expressed support for ASEAN-led processes in Asia-Pacific.

Foreign Ministers in a meeting noted the importance of regular interaction and dialogue, exchange of high-level visits, and promoting people-to-people contacts.

Both sides agreed to explore more areas for economic cooperation including agriculture, digital economy, and digital finance, Foreign Office.

Also Read: Foreign Minister of Pakistan meets his Singaporean Counterpart

Besides that, Foreign Ministers discussed views on the regional situation and agreed to stay engaged at every possible level of cooperation.

Meeting with the President of Singapore

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto called on President Halima Yacob of Singapore at the Istana on 9 December during his official visit to Singapore.

Both reaffirmed the longstanding friendly ties and discussed mutually beneficial cooperation. According to Foreign Office, Foreign Minister emphasized the importance accorded by Pakistan to its relation with Singapore, which is a key partner in ASEAN.

The two noted the scope to enhance collaboration and cooperation between people, businesses, and governments of both Pakistan and Singapore. Furthermore, they expressed a strong desire to further consolidate cooperation in diverse fields.

In a bilateral meeting, President and Foreign Minister welcomed the steady progress in multi-dimensional bilateral relations based on mutual understanding and also exchanged views on development in the region, Foreign Office noted.

Also Read: Chinese Foreign Ministers visit to Singapore

Other than bilateral engagements, Foreign Minister also visited Meta Asia-Pacific Headquarters. Foreign Minister highlighted the huge potential and achievements of the IT sector in Pakistan and showed a keen desire for enhanced cooperation between Meta and Pakistan.

At the Meta HQ, he launched the “Stars Programme” for monetization in Pakistan. This will contribute to the capacity building of young entrepreneurs as a valuable tool for Pakistan’s growing number of Meta content developers, Foreign Office stated.