Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland to visit Pakistan from July 28

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General, will undertake her first official visit to Pakistan from July 28 to August 2, 2024, following an invitation from the Government of Pakistan.

During her five-day visit, Secretary-General Scotland will meet with Pakistan’s leadership, Cabinet members, youth leaders, civil society representatives, and other key stakeholders.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, who has been a staunch advocate for supporting Pakistan in meeting the adverse impacts of climate change, will reaffirm her solidarity with Pakistan, as it marks the second anniversary of the catastrophic 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and caused more than $30 billion in damage. She is also likely to tour some of the areas that were affected by the floods.

During the Secretary-General’s visit, the two sides would also discuss avenues to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and the Commonwealth in other areas of shared interest, including supporting Pakistan’s national development plan, empowering youth, and boosting trade and investment.

With 2023/24 designated the “Year of Youth” by the Commonwealth and Pakistan chairing the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting, the Secretary-General will receive extensive briefings on the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and highlight the opportunities Commonwealth membership brings to young people.

As one of the organisation’s founding members, Pakistan values the Commonwealth as an important forum for forging consensus on global issues and challenges. The visit of the Commonwealth Secretary-General would provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and the Commonwealth.