By Pervaiz Mughal
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with a nine-member delegation led by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President Dr Tanaka Akihiko in Islamabad on Wednesday, with both sides expressing commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister said Pakistan highly valued its decades-long partnership with Japan and JICA, expressing hope that the visit of the JICA President would help deepen relations between the two countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan had overcome difficult economic challenges through collective efforts and that the government’s reform process was moving forward to achieve sustainable economic growth. He said public revenues had doubled in three years as a result of government reforms.
The Prime Minister said providing youth with skills, technical training and dignified employment opportunities, along with women’s empowerment, remained among the government’s top priorities. He said the development of the minerals sector was also a key priority and Pakistan welcomed JICA’s technical cooperation in this area.
The Prime Minister said reforms had been introduced in the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to transform it into an active and effective institution for promoting small and medium enterprises. He added that JICA’s cooperation with SMEDA would help strengthen SMEs and enhance exports.
Dr Tanaka thanked the Prime Minister for expressing solidarity with the people of Japan and appreciated the hospitality extended during his visit. He said JICA and Pakistan had a long history of partnership and cooperation and that the agency was ready to further expand collaboration with Pakistan in sectors including health, education, urban and rural development, vocational and technical training and industrial development.
