Pakistan, Maldives agree to enhance bilateral trade volume from $13mn to $200mn in next two years

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan and Maldives have agreed to enhance their bilateral trade quantum from $13 million to $200m in the next two years.

An understanding to this effect came at a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu in Islamabad.

Later in a joint press stakeout, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and the Maldives enjoy strong brotherly relations, rooted in longstanding historical bonds.

He expressed the confidence that the visit of the Maldivian President will take this relationship to a stronger, broader and more substantive level.

The Prime Minister said the two sides discussed all key issues of mutual interest, including economic and trade relations, strategic defence cooperation and Pakistan’s support for training Maldivian nationals in various fields.

The Prime Minister said that the MOUs signed today cover all important spectrum of bilateral relations, expressing the determination to work with the President of Maldives to translate these MOUs into action with prompt decision making and speedy implementation.

Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will support Maldives in its initiative to plan five million trees. He announced that Pakistan will contribute one hundred thousand olive cuttings and one hundred thousand seeds of various plants. 

Expressing his happiness that Maldives is speedily moving towards establishing data centers, he said Pakistan has attained reasonable level of expertise and professional capability in this field. He said Pakistan is ready to provide its experience and professional capabilities to Maldives in this regard.

Shehbaz Sharif said that he also apprised the President of Maldives on Pakistan's principled position on Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He said Pakistan remains committed to peaceful resolution of the dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people. He said Pakistan shall continue to support Kashmiri people diplomatically until they achieve their right to self determination.

The Prime Minister said that he also shared with the President of Maldives Pakistan's concerns over India's decision to place Indus Water Treaty in abeyance. He said Pakistan takes strong exception to the violation of an internationally binding treaty.  He emphasized that legally binding treaties must be respected and shared water resources must never be weaponized or used as an instrument of political pressure or blackmailing.

In his remarks, the Maldivian President said Pakistan has stood as a trusted friend of Maldives for sixty years. He said the two countries have agreed today to turn a new leaf and build a new era of partnership, one that is broader, more dynamic and more directly beneficial to our peoples.

The Maldivian President said the MOUs signed today will open new avenues of cooperation across multiple sectors. He said they have agreed to work together to expand bilateral trade, promote investments, deepen tourism cooperation and strengthen connectivity.

Mohamed Muizzu said they have agreed on the importance of strengthening the youth exchange programme and expanding cooperation in skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation and youth leadership.

Referring to the challenge of climate change faced by Maldives, he said we welcome stronger cooperation with Pakistan in this field.

He said his country believes in the tremendous potential of SAARC to address the shared challenges in the region through collective actions. He said his country remains firmly committed to play a constructive role in revitalizing SAARC.

The Prime Minister and the President of Maldives also expressed strong support and solidarity with the people of Palestine.