ISLAMABAD: While highlighting the government’s paradigm shift from geo-political contest to geo-economic cooperation, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday urged envoys to make concerted efforts to implement the economic agenda.

As part of the government’s efforts to promote economic diplomacy, the foreign minister held an interactive session with Pakistan’s envoys to the US, Turkey, Austria, Iran, Russia, the Netherlands, and permanent representatives to New York and Geneva.

While underscoring growing significance of geo-economics in international politics, Mr Qureshi said economic security was a crucial function of national security.

Elaborating on the government’s robust reform measures for improvement of business climate in the country, he said Pakistan’s ranking in `ease of doing business’ had significantly improved.

Pakistan had secured 6th place among the world’s top 10 business climate improvers and its Business Confidence Ranking increased by 39 points as per OICCIs latest survey, a press release quoted the foreign minister as saying.

The foreign minister also commended the pivotal role played by the ministry of foreign affairs and its missions abroad in safeguarding Pakistan’s economic interests, especially in the successful implementation of the government’s various initiatives/programmes such as Roshan Digital Account Initiative.

During the session, the participants identified bottlenecks impeding bilateral economic cooperation with the envoys giving their recommendations in this regard.

They provided valuable input and insight on how to enhance economic cooperation at bilateral and regional levels.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2021