Prime Minister says minerals development remains a top priority as JICA pledges expanded cooperation in key sectors.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday welcomed the technical cooperation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Pakistan’s minerals sector, describing the development of the industry as one of the government’s highest economic priorities.
The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with a nine-member JICA delegation led by its President, Dr Tanaka Akihiko, at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.
Pakistan Values Longstanding Partnership with Japan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan highly values its longstanding partnership with Japan and JICA, which has spanned more than seven decades.
He expressed confidence that the JICA president’s visit would further strengthen bilateral relations and broaden development cooperation between the two countries.
The prime minister said Pakistan had overcome significant economic challenges through collective efforts and was now advancing reforms aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth.
He added that the government’s reform agenda had helped double public revenues over the past three years, strengthening the country’s fiscal position.
Skills Development and SME Growth
Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to equipping young people with market-oriented skills through expanded technical and vocational training programmes.
He said the government is focused on creating dignified employment opportunities, promoting women’s economic empowerment and strengthening the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the national economy.
The prime minister also highlighted reforms undertaken at the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), saying the organisation had been transformed into a more active and effective institution to support business growth.
He noted that JICA’s cooperation with SMEDA would help enhance the SME sector and contribute to increasing Pakistan’s exports.
Condolences Over Japan Earthquake
During the meeting, the prime minister conveyed his condolences to the people of Japan over the loss of lives caused by the recent earthquake.
Dr Tanaka Akihiko thanked the prime minister for his message of sympathy and appreciated Pakistan’s solidarity during the difficult period.
JICA Ready to Expand Cooperation
The JICA president reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Pakistan across several priority sectors.
These include:
• Health
• Education
• Urban development
• Rural development
• Vocational and technical training
• Industrial development
He said future cooperation would be aligned with the development priorities of Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments.
Dr Tanaka also said Japan, together with the wider international community, appreciates Pakistan’s efforts and leadership in promoting peace in the Middle East.
Senior Officials Attend Meeting
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Musadik Masood Malik, Hanif Abbasi, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, along with Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi and Haroon Akhtar Khan, as well as senior officials from relevant government institutions.