February 18, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Jawad Sohrab Malik Saturday met Ambassador of Switzerland Georg Steiner to discuss the enhancement of mutual relations and bilateral cooperation in different areas.
The SAPM underscored the commitments of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in fostering sustainable economic growth, rule of law, management of natural resources, and peace for the people of the country.
Malik appreciated Switzerland's International Cooperation Strategy 2021–24, formulated by the Federal Council highlighting sustainable economic growth, market development, creation of jobs, addressing climate change by managing natural resources, human development in education and healthcare, promoting peace, rule of law and gender equality.
The SAPM said that the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has been performing an efficient role through its projects in mitigating water woes in vulnerable areas of Pakistan.
The Swiss ambassador said that Switzerland's international cooperation is driven by the vision of a world without poverty and in peace, for sustainable development. The European nation has earmarked CHF 11.25 billion for international cooperation in the 2021–24 period.
Swiss international cooperation alleviates need and poverty, reduces global risks and promotes peace, he said. In Switzerland's International Cooperation Strategy 2021–24, according to the ambassador, the Federal Council has set out four objectives of equal importance.
These objectives include economic development for contribution to sustainable economic growth, market development and the creation of decent jobs; climate change and the environment to address climate change and its adverse effects and managing natural resources sustainably; human development for saving lives, ensuring quality basic services (especially in relation to education and healthcare), and reducing the causes of forced and irregular migration; and peace and governance to promoting peace, the rule of law and gender equality.