Ninth Round of Pakistan-EU Political Dialogue

Celina Ali

Islamabad: The ninth round of Pakistan-European Union Political Dialogue was held Wednesday in Islamabad.

Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi led the Pakistani delegation while the EU side was led by Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Enrique Mora.

The Political Dialogue covered the entire gamut of Pakistan-EU bilateral relationship encompassing all areas of mutual interest with a focus on Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP), trade and development cooperation, security, climate action, migration and mobility. Important Regional and global developments were also discussed.

Expressing satisfaction over the positive trajectory of the relations, the two sides agreed to continue working towards further deepening and broadening of Pakistan-EU bilateral ties in all areas of mutual interest by regularly holding meetings of institutional mechanisms and undertaking follow-up actions.

Highlighting the importance of Pakistan-EU bilateral ties, the two sides agreed that regular high-level interactions have provided a new impetus to the relationship and underlined the necessity for close cooperation and dialogue amid rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

Acknowledging GSP Plus as a successful template of trade for development and mutually beneficial cooperation, the Foreign Secretary underlined the need for fostering deeper collaboration with key stakeholders on both sides to bring diversification and sustainability in trade ties between Pakistan and the European Union.

The two sides also agreed to explore new opportunities under the EU’s flagship programs; Global Gateway Strategy and Horizon Europe.