Pakistan and Switzerland signed a Memordandum of Understanding in Bhurban today for promotion of cooperation in the field of disaster management.
The MoU was signed by the visiting Foreign Minister of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis and Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan looks forward to cooperation from Switzerland in getting advance warning system and other facets which secures Pakistan as much as possible from the natural disasters. He pointed out that Pakistan has no contributions to climate change.
Describing his negotiations with the Swiss Foreign Minister as productive and fruitful, he said Pakistan also desires to promote cooperation with Switzerland in diverse areas including tourism and education.
The Prime Minister said he is encouraged by the statement of Swiss Foreign Minister that Switzerland will play a friendly and catalyst role to promote peace discussions in the region. He said Pakistan will encourage Switzerland to play a productive role because his country wants to live in peace and promote prosperity and progress. He said Pakistan wants to invest in its population to alleviate poverty and unemployment by promoting industries, IT and agriculture. He, however, said the other side shall also have to do introspection. It takes two to tango.
The Prime Minister said we cannot afford tension in this region and waste resources on wars as they have not been of any help in the past.
He said Pakistan is absolutely convinced that we should commit our resources in development. He said the leadership on the other side should feel the same way.
The Prime Minister stressed that resolution of all disputes including that of Jammu and Kashmir was important for lasting peace in this part of the world.
In his remarks on the occasion, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said disaster risk management goes beyond borders and nationalities. He said it is a global responsibility that requires unity and collective action.
He said Pakistan and Switzerland will work hand in hand to raise awareness and protect the lives and livelihoods of our peoples.
The Swiss Foreign Minister said the MoU signed today is a vital step in strengthening our collaborative efforts against climate change. He said Pakistan is a country with rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscape but unfortunately it has been grappling with the devastating effects of natural disasters. He said it is a stark reminder of the urgent need for international cooperation to mitigate and manage the risks associated with catastrophes. He said his country stands ready to support Pakistan in this regard.
The Swiss Foreign Minister said the MoU shows our shared determination to strengthen our bilateral relationship and to put our resources, knowledge and experiences in disaster risk management.
Source: Radio Pakistan