TEXT: As you may know, August 1, 2023, marks the 732nd National Day of Switzerland. Nowadays, on August 1, the Swiss come together as a nation to honour their rich history, direct democracy, diverse culture and shared values. It is also a family day, filled with joy and laughter.
I am very happy that in close vicinity to this important day, the Swiss Foreign Minister, H.E. Ignazio Cassis, visited Pakistan upon the invitation of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, H.E. Shehbaz Sharif.
On the occasion of this successful visit, many interesting exchanges took place and an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Disaster Risk Management was signed between the two countries. It underlines Switzerland's strong partnership with Pakistan to enhance preparedness and resilience in the face of potential disasters and natural calamities. Furthermore, our bilateral partnership will continue to channel common efforts to address climate change and create sustainable win-win solutions for both countries.
As a core group member of the support platform for the Solutions Strategy for the Afghan Refugees (SSAR) of UNHCR in Pakistan, Switzerland is actively working with other international partners to sustain engagement with the Government of Pakistan to foster concrete and tangible solutions for Afghan refugees.
I would also like to underline that Switzerland has continuously been ranked among the top Foreign Direct Investors in Pakistan. Major Swiss companies are successfully operating in various sectors, such as food and beverages, energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and textile machinery, employing around 15,000 people.
The Embassy of Switzerland in Islamabad is very much looking forward to further strengthening the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Switzerland, counting on our host country’s friendship and continued support in this respect.
I conclude by wishing Pakistan and its wonderful people peace, prosperity, happiness, and a very nice 76th Pakistan Independence Day on August 14.
Pakistan-Switzerland Friendship Zindabad!
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023