ISLAMABAD:As part of her ongoing visit to Belgium, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani on Tuesday held extensive meetings with two European Union (EU) Commissioners in Brussels.
The Minister of State called on the European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic to follow up on discussions pertaining to the EU’s flood relief activities in Pakistan.
During the interaction, the Minister of State thanked the EU for activating the European Civil Protection Mechanism post floods which enabled immediate assistance from the EU during the rehabilitation phase.
The two sides agreed to explore further avenues for collaboration in disaster management and capacity building, said a statement received here.
In her meeting with the European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, the Minister of State discussed optimal utilization of the recently launched Migration and Mobility Dialogue including opportunities for legal migration of skilled labor.
It was agreed to strengthen cooperation in the implementation of the Pakistan-EU Readmission Agreement.
In her interactions at the EU Commission, the Minister of State expressed the hope that the EU would take a leadership role in dealing with emerging global challenges and non-traditional security threats including climate change, pandemics, water, energy, and food security.
She advocated for collaboration and cooperation for building capacity with a special focus on sustainability, green economics, agriculture, and digital connectivity.
Highlighting the importance of the GSP+ scheme, the Minister of State stated that Pakistan-EU trade had increased under the present regime, which had contributed significantly towards growth and poverty alleviation in Pakistan.
“Pakistan and the EU dialogue processes are driven by the Strategic Engagement Plan, which reaffirms both sides’ determination to further strengthen the long-term, forward-looking and broad-based partnership for peace, development, and prosperity,” he added.