ISLAMABAD: The Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Commonwealth of Dominica, a Caribbean Island nation, established formal diplomatic relations at a ceremony held at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations. Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN and his counterpart, Ambassador Philbert Aaron signed the joint communiqué to formally establish the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Munir Akram said that despite falling in vastly different geographical zones, both Pakistan and Dominica were bound by love of cricket. He recalled how the West Indies produced cricketing heroes who dominated the game and were a household name in Pakistan. Ambassador Akram said both the countries were also vulnerable to climate change which emerged as a shared global challenge. He said that despite hardly significant contribution to climate change, Pakistan was ranked among the top ten countries affected by climate change.

He emphasized the need for building resilience to fight climate change. “The establishment of formal ties between our two nations will ensure substantive, cooperative relationship,” he added. Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Ambassador Philbert Aaron, Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of Dominica, thanked the Pakistan Mission for hosting the ceremony.

He said the formalization of bilateral ties would open up avenues of cooperation especially in the fields of sports and climate change. Ambassador Aaron said that given the challenges of climate change, the future will be massively impacted, which in turn warranted close cooperation. He expressed his appreciation for the government and the people of Pakistan, and expressed the hope of working closely with Pakistan bilaterally as well as at the multilateral forums to promote understanding and mutual interests.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024