Pakistan and United States on Thursday discussed the ways and means to expand two-way trade and investment through easy market excess. According to a statement issued by a spokesperson for the US Embassy here, senior officials from the governments of the United States and Pakistan met on Thursday in Islamabad under the auspices of the United States-Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).
The officials reviewed progress under the bilateral Joint Action Plan, a plan created by President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif in 2013 to boost two-way trade and investment. "Specifically, the two parties discussed trade promotion efforts, entrepreneurship, diversification of agriculture, intellectual property rights, initiatives to boost investment, and workers'' rights," said the spokesperson.
In the joint session of the Working Group of Pakistan-United States Trade and Investment Framework, the two sides also discussed the ways to expand bilateral trade through easy market excess. During the session, the two sides exchanged views on matters pertaining to the proposed Pak-US Joint Business Council. The participants reviewed exchange of trade delegations, easy market access and ways of increasing bilateral trade. The Pakistan side also provided a list of members for the proposed council.
In the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue held on January 13, 2015 in Islamabad, in which Pakistan''s side was led by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and US by Secretary of State John Kerry, the two sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to expanding and deepening bilateral economic, trade and investment co-operation.
In the dialogue, both sides had acknowledged the importance of expanded trade and investment ties as the key to a sustainable, balanced and enduring partnership. The two sides, in the strategic dialogue, committed to work towards smooth and effective implementation of the Joint Action Plan launched at the TIFA meeting held in May 2014 in Washington. Pakistan, while renewing its desire to seek a relationship based on trade and investment, not solely aid, had expressed its desire for greater market access for its products through all available means.
Comments
Comments are closed.