PM Shehbaz stresses need for Pakistan & France to work together to enhance cooperation, particularly in trade & investment

ISLAMABAD, April 03 (SABAH): Ambassador Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of the Republic of France, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and SAPM Tariq Fatemi.

The Ambassador handed over a congratulatory letter from French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, addressed to the Prime Minister on his re-election. The Prime Minister thanked the French leadership for the message of greetings. He said Pakistan enjoyed friendly and cordial ties with France and, although the relationship had undergone a difficult phase a few years ago, the two countries were now working together to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The Prime Minister fondly recalled his numerous interactions with French President Emmanuel Macron, in particular their meetings on the sidelines of UNGA Session in 2022, as well as on the margins of the Paris Conference on New Financing Pact on Climate Change in June 2023, for the warmth of the President and his expression of support to Pakistan. He also lauded President Macron’s valuable contribution through virtual participation at the Geneva Conference on Resilient Pakistan in January 2023.

The Prime Minister reiterated his invitation to President Macron to undertake an official visit to Pakistan, at his earliest convenience.

He stressed the need for both sides to work together to enhance cooperation, particularly in trade and investment and invited French companies to invest in Pakistan. He welcomed the initiative of the French side to bring corporate leaders from top French companies on a visit to Pakistan soon. The Prime Minister also shared that stabilization of the economy was on top of the Government’s agenda. The situation in Gaza also came under discussion and the Prime Minister appreciated French peace efforts in the region. The situation in Afghanistan was also discussed.

The French Ambassador thanked the Prime Minister for receiving him and briefed him on the latest developments on the bilateral front. He said a French delegation was expected to visit Pakistan for discussions on bilateral cooperation. In addition to strengthening of bilateral ties, he said France was keen to work closely with Pakistan in multilateral forums, including the United Nations.