ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States (US) on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to promoting energy security, economic growth, partnership in long-term flood rehabilitation efforts, and strengthening their overall relationship.
The bilateral relationships were discussed in a meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources (BES) at the United States Department of State, Geoffery Pyatt, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Pyatt is leading the US delegation to Pakistan for the Pak-US Energy Security Dialogue. The Pak-US Energy Security Dialogue is a joint venture to promote energy security and serves as a platform for high-level discussions between the two sides on bilateral energy priorities, advancing the transition to renewable energy and exploring economic and commercial opportunities in the energy sector.
The prime minister appreciated holding the dialogue on promoting energy security, saying it would benefit both countries.
He encouraged further investment in the country’s energy infrastructure, adding that it would also help the transition toward clean energy.
Pakistan, US economic cooperation
Likewise, Pyatt appreciated Pakistan for its “forward-looking” renewable energy policy.
PM Shehbaz also welcomed the ongoing dialogues and cooperation between the two countries in trade and investment, health, security, and climate change.
Meanwhile, US State Department Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environment, and Science Monica Medina, who is also in Pakistan on an official visit, told the prime minister during the meeting that she was leading the US delegation for meetings of the Pak-US Climate and Environment Working Group.
She appreciated the “commitment and dedication with which Pakistan’s government had responded to the consequences of the 2022 devastating floods.”
Elizabeth Horst, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Central Asia, Jake Levine, Development Finance Corporation Chief Climate Officer, and US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome were also present in the meeting.
The US diplomats affirmed the Biden administration’s desire to enhance Pakistan-US cooperation in trade, investment, health, security, and climate change.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Power Minister Khurram Dastgir, and other senior officials attended the meeting.
