ISLAMABAD - Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday said that Africa was among top foreign policy priorities for Pakistan.
In a video message before leaving for Egypt on a two-day visit on the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry, the FM said there were vast opportunities of economic cooperation between the two countries.
Qureshi said he would hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.
The FM noted that Egypt was an important country of Muslim Ummah (nation) termed it the gateway to Africa. He said promoting trade relations with Africa was top priority of the government.
The Foreign Minister said during his stay to Egypt, he would also visit Jamia Al Azhar and “our desire is to take advantage from their experiences in the field of education. I will also meet the business community in Egypt.”
The Foreign Minister said he would also meet the business community in Egypt and interact with media persons.
The visit of the Foreign Minister is taking place in the backdrop of the meetings between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi; first, on the sidelines of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Makkah Summit in 2019, and then on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2019.
During these meetings, the two leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and enhance high-level exchanges.
More than 40 agreements signed between the two sides in diverse fields provide a firm basis for enhanced cooperation.
Last year, the Prime Minister also had a telephone conversation with Egyptian President regarding his ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for developing countries, which was supported by Egypt.
Pakistan and Egypt enjoy close fraternal relations firmly anchored on common faith, culture and values. The two countries have similar perceptions on a range of regional and global issues.
Bilateral cooperation is advanced through strong institutional mechanisms, including the Joint Ministerial Commission, Annual Bilateral Consultations, and Joint Business Council.
Pakistan and Egypt also work closely in the multilateral arena, in particular the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Egypt is an important country in the Middle East and Africa. Egypt plays a key role in the Middle East, while its deep linkages with the African Continent make it a gateway to Africa.
“In line with Pakistan’s desire to forge stronger ties with the Islamic world, as well as the government’s ‘Engage Africa” initiative, Pakistan accords high importance to its partnership with Egypt,” said a statement by the Foreign Office before FM’s departure.
Earlier, FM Qureshi said Pakistan was ready to cooperate and collaborate with other friendly nations and partners around the world, to realise this goal for mutual benefit of the entire humanity.
Qureshi said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and development of the Gwadar Port were game-changing projects that had further enhanced the geo-economic significance of Pakistan. The Gwadar Port had the potential to develop into a full-fledged regional hub and a trans-shipment port, he added.