ISLAMABAD
Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani on Friday underscored that parliamentary cooperation and institutionalized collaboration can help promote people-to-people contacts especially with the African countries.
According to a message received here, the chairman exchanged views on matters of mutual significance and stressed cooperation, trade, economic links, expediting regional growth and development with the delegates and parliamentary heads of different countries including Speaker of Algeria, Brahim Boughali, Deputy Speaker of Gambia, Seedy Njie and Deputy Speaker of Libya, Mr Fouzi Salim on the sidelines of the conference of the NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Parliamentary Network in Azerbaijan.
During the meetings, Senate Chairman highlighted the significance of such conferences and underlined Pakistan’s desire for peace and development in the region and beyond and urged the parliaments to play role in this regard.
“We must utilize parliamentary diplomacy as a tool to promote regional peace, and harmony and make collective efforts to resolve issues hampering development”, he emphasized.
He said that Pakistan’s “Look Africa” policy has been helpful in opening up new avenues of cooperation, enhanced connectivity and trade links.
Chairman said that global dynamics of inter-state relations and cooperation have changed, and called for diversified bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Senate Chairman informed that Pakistan was keen to further deepen ties with African countries. “Trade and investment opportunities can be explored through frequent exchanges in business sectors”, he observed.
He enticed African investors to explore investment opportunities in collaboration with their Pakistani counterparts.
Chairman underpinned the significance of parliamentary cooperation, adding that parliamentary friendship groups can help in building synergy required to create a common ground for smooth working and develop an understanding for mutual benefit. Parliamentary leaders from different African countries while appreciating Chairman’s remarks said that Pakistan was an important country for us and in the region. They underscored the need for more institutional collaboration.
Parliamentary leaders also acknowledged Pakistan’s stance presented by Senate Chairman during the conference on NAM Parliamentary Network.
