Pakistan stands ready to deepen and strengthen cooperation with Zimbabwe especially in the areas of trade and investment.
Farid Hasan, charge d’affaires at the Pakistan embassy in Harare, made the remarks during the Pakistan-Africa Friendship Day in the capital yesterday.
He emphasized the two countries needed to grow “relations between our two countries have been cordial for a very long time”.
“Pakistan and Zimbabwe illustrious relations date back to the time in 1980 when the two countries were members of the Commonwealth and had various interactions and exchanges at various levels,
Pakistan assisted then newly-independent Zimbabwe in modernising its airforce after 1982 as well as in the communications field.
“And there have been various areas of cooperation since but we need to grow these,” the top diplomat said.
Pakistan is working strongly on this front for Zimbabwe and Africa in general “as we are set to set up more than six embassies in the coming few months across the continent”.
“We need to widen the narrow range of imports and exports between our two sister countries,” he said, adding that Pakistan grants easier access to the emerging markets of Central Asian region.
Chief director for political affairs in the ministry of foreign affairs A. Mageza responded that Zimbabwe was pleased with the direction relations were moving and was ready and willing to play its part.
The top foreign affairs official said that Zimbabwe is looking forward to” boosting our bilateral cooperation in more areas for the mutual benefit of both nations and peoples.
“Zimbabwe is grateful for the continued support it has received in the training of its defence forces through specialised scholarships and technical courses offered by Pakistan,” he said
Mageza said there was potential for increased cooperation in other spheres “There’s potential in improving relations in other spheres as well like in sport and cultural exchanges,” he said. “We need to enhance economic and trade relations by forming business forums in the sister countries.”
“We are also working on establishing an embassy in Pakistan in the very near future,” he said.
