Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) could be a key platform for taking the vision of Eurasian connectivity to the next level.
The minister is delivering his keynote address at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting hosted by India in its Goa state. He reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to the platform.
“There couldn’t be a more powerful indication of the importance that Pakistan attaches to the SCO than my presence here in Goa for this CFM,” he said.
The foreign minister underscored importance of Pakistan accords to principles of mutual trust and shared development as enshrined in ‘Shanghai Spirit.’
“Pakistan strongly believes in and fully adheres to principles of mutual trust, shared development enshrined in original ‘Shanghai Spirit’.”
FM Bilawal also called for collective efforts to fight climate crisis, saying: “The climate crisis poses an existential threat to humanity.”
“SCO has emerged as a platform for promoting mutual understanding, security and development through constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation,” he further said.
Taking about poverty in the region, he said there was a very strong and compelling case for closer cooperation for poverty alleviation under SCO. “The establishment of the Special Working Group on Poverty Alleviation proposed by Pakistan will be a step in that direction,” he said.
The Pakistani minister urged to collectively eradicate the menace of terrorism, adding: “Let’s not get caught up in weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point scoring. The collective security of our peoples is our joint responsibility”.
Talking about Pakistan’s role in global discourse on climate change, he said his country had emerged as an important voice in the global discourse on climate Change in the aftermath of that natural calamity.
He also highlighted the importance of peaceful Afghanistan saying it “is a key not only to regional integration and economic cooperation but also to global peace and stability”.
Earlier, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed the Pakistani counterpart for the meeting in Goa.
