ISLAMABAD: German Federal Minister of Cooperation, Svenja Schulze has stressed the need for enhanced German-Pakistani relations and economic cooperation particularly with the province of Punjab.
According to a German Embassy press release on Friday she expressed these views during a meeting with Chief Minister of Punjab Mariam Nawaz Sharif in Lahore.
Minister Schulze also visited the Inter Market Knit Private Ltd. factory where socks are produced for the German market.
Afterwards, she paid a visit to a sustainable market at the Centre for the Improvement of Working Conditions and the Environment (CIWCE). The Federal Minister then attended in the Textile Industry Sustainability Forum (TISF) where she discussed matters of sustainable production methods, work environment and increasing competitiveness with representatives of the Government of Punjab, textile industry, trade unions and civil society.
Minister Schulze visited one of the Khawaja Industries PVT Ltd. factories in Sialkot, Punjab, where footballs for the German first league (Bundesliga) are made.
Germany is Pakistan’s third-most important economic cooperation partner. Since the start of German-Pakistani economic cooperation in 1961, Germany has contributed around 3.7 billion Euros (more than 113 000 crore PKR) in Pakistan’s development.
In 2023 alone, Germany pledged 163, 3 million Euros for economic cooperation with Pakistan. German-Pakistani cooperation covers a wide field of issues such as developing professional training capacities, improving healthcare, supporting small and medium enterprises, promoting renewable energies and adapting to the consequences of climate change.
