Islamabad : Senate President Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani emphasized the need to further diversify Pakistan-Algeria relations and explore new avenues of cooperation to further stimulate bilateral relations. The President of the Senate expressed these views in a meeting with the Algerian Ambassador H.E. Brahim Romani in the parliament building.
The Senate President noted that Pakistan enjoys excellent relations with Algeria which are rooted in history, religion and similarity of views on various regional and international issues.
He also acknowledged and appreciated Algeria’s support for Pakistan at the United Nations and other international forums, particularly the support for Pakistan’s various candidacies.
He called for the expansion of political and economic ties. “There is a great need for closer trade and economic relations because the current level of trade is far below its true potential,” the Senate President said.
He also emphasized the importance of frequent exchanges of trade delegations to promote trade and explore opportunities for joint ventures and investments. Pakistan, he said, has some of the best quality rice in the world and Algeria may consider importing rice from Pakistan. He informed that there is huge potential for mutual cooperation in IT, pharmaceutical and other sectors. Cooperation between Pakistan and Algeria in the IT sector and especially in freelancing can be beneficial for both countries as there are thousands of freelancing companies in Pakistan.
The President of the Senate also emphasized the need for parliamentary ties and institutional cooperation to learn from the experiences of others. He said that parliamentary diplomacy is one such tool that can help bring people on both sides together and promote strong people-to-people contacts. Acknowledging the diplomatic relations, the Senate President noted that Pakistan had issued diplomatic passports to the Algerian leadership to facilitate their travel in 1958.
On the Kashmir issue, the Senate President said that the unresolved dispute over Kashmir has remained on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) since 1948 and continues to threaten peace in the region. Lasting peace in South Asia remains contingent on a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Similarly, Pakistan is also deeply concerned about the immense loss of human life in the current escalation between the Palestinians and Israel.
Pakistan consistently, unequivocally and unreservedly supports the Palestinian cause. Pakistan supports the resolution of the Palestinian conflict in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the OIC. Regarding Afghanistan, the Senate President said that Afghanistan is a brotherly country, stable, sovereign and independent in the best interest of Pakistan.
The President of the Senate also expressed the wishes of the political and parliamentary leadership of Algeria. He invited his Algerian counterpart to visit Pakistan at an appropriate time. The President of the Senate noted that people-to-people contacts are of great importance in promoting bilateral and multilateral cooperation. He said that the Senate of Pakistan is in the process of forming a friendship group for Algeria in the Senate to further diversify the relationship between the two sides and expand multi-sectoral cooperation. He also invited the ambassador to visit Multan and explore opportunities for developing ties with local business organizations as Multan is a center for the production of mangoes, ceramics and many other important locally produced products.
The ambassador thanked the chairman of the senate for his warm feelings. He also called for further expansion of mutual ties and said that Pakistan is an important country for Algeria. “Pakistan is the first nuclear country of the Muslim world and Algeria is proud of it,” the ambassador said, stressing the importance of bilateral relations between the two countries. He informed that Algeria was blessed with natural resources, especially oil and gas reserves.
The Ukrainian war and the evolving regional scenario have attracted many companies to Algeria, making it a new emerging oil, gas and LNG market. He informed that Algeria has supported Pakistan at the UNSC level and Pakistan will reciprocate. Both countries can play an active role at the level of the UN Security Council and support each other on various issues. He further said that an Algerian trade and business delegation would soon visit Pakistan to explore new opportunities for investment. The current level of trade and economic relations, the ambassador said, needs to be expanded more in light of decades of diplomatic and political relations. He said the two countries share the same vision for regional development and emphasized on creating a conducive and friendly environment for trade and economic activities.
