PARIS:Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen here on the sidelines of the New Global Financing Pact Summit.
The prime minister thanked the President of the Commission for her participation in the Resilient Pakistan Conference held in Geneva on January 9 this year.
He conveyed Pakistan’s commitment to continue working in close collaboration with the European institutions for rehabilitation and reconstruction in the flood-affected areas.
The prime minister appreciated high-level interactions between Pakistan and the European Union and renewed an invitation to the EU Commission president to visit Pakistan.
Recalling the importance of GSP Plus, the prime minister noted with satisfaction that it was on track as there was a strong political commitment in that regard.
The EU Commission president lauded Pakistan’s efforts to recover from the 2022 floods and assured continued support.
She appreciated the level of ongoing cooperation between the EU and Pakistan, including GSP Plus.
After the meeting, Ursula von der Leyen tweeted that the trade preference measures had already helped Pakistan increase exports to the EU by 65% over the past eight years.
She also vowed to continue supporting reconstruction after the floods in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in response to her tweet, acknowledged the vital support extended by the EU in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-hit areas as well as its active participation in Resilient Pakistan Conference in Geneva.
“GSP Plus has provided a strong boost to our exports and continues to remain critical to our economy. My government is keen to further build on our strong partnership with EU. It is my pleasure to invite you for a visit to take our relationship forward in line with the vast potential at trade, economic and political levels,” he added.