ISLAMABAD, Sep 06 (APP): Pakistan and Senegal have agreed to strengthen cooperation in diverse fields including trade, investment, agriculture and education.
The understanding came during delegation level talks between Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and President of Senegal Macky SALL in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister said that in addition to existing items like textiles, pharmaceuticals and rice, Pakistan can also export leather and leather products, light engineering goods, agricultural machinery and implements to Senegal.
He said a composite trade and investment delegation led by Minister for Commerce could visit Senegal in this regard.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan can extend technical support to Senegal for establishment of sugar and cement plants and can also help in promoting its agriculture sector.
Matters pertaining to defence cooperation between the two countries and the proposal for opening a Pakistani bank in Senegal was also discussed during the meeting.
Both sides agreed to enhance bilateral trade from its current volume of 30.469 million dollar a year to its true potential. Presently Pakistan’s annual exports to Senegal amount to 29.433 million dollar while imports are at 1.06 million dollar.
Pakistan offered to cooperate in the fields of intelligence sharing, control of human & drug trafficking and capacity building in counter terrorism for Senegal.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan is happy to offer scholarships for Senegalese students in various fields of education and training in prestigious institutions of the country. He welcomed the decision to open Senegalese Embassy in Islamabad, which will further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between our two countries.
APP/Zaheer/VNS, Islamabad
