Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a meeting with billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates on Monday that Pakistan is working tirelessly to eradicate polio.
The meeting between the two sides was held on the sidelines of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Riyadh.
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the prime minister thanked Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), for his “warm congratulations” on his re-election. expressed.
“The Prime Minister fondly recalled our interactions during his previous term and reaffirmed his commitment to continue working closely with Mr. Gates to ensure a stronger partnership between Pakistan and the BMGF,” the statement said.
“The Prime Minister said that Pakistan is working tirelessly to eradicate polio from the country. He thanked the BMGF for its long-standing support for polio eradication in Pakistan and expressed his gratitude for the achievement of the ultimate goal of a polio-free Pakistan.” “This will require sustained efforts from all partners.”
Meanwhile, Gates recalled implementing the immunization and polio vaccine program in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Shehbaz, and said that to make the immunization program a success, “we focused on replicating the same practices across the country.” ” he said.
He also acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts and said polio eradication is essential to protect future generations from this devastating disease.
In addition to polio, the two also discussed the progress of ongoing activities between Pakistan and BMGF in the areas of immunization, nutrition and financial inclusion, the PMO said.
“The Prime Minister said that the Gates Foundation is a reliable partner in Pakistan’s socio-economic development and is exploring cooperation in other areas such as IT, STEM education and disaster management,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also recalled Gates’ visit to Pakistan in February 2022 and invited him to visit Pakistan again at his convenience.
Prime Minister secures further investment guarantees from Riyadh, meets with IMF chief
On Sunday, after a busy weekend, Prime Minister Shehbaz secured a guarantee for investment from Saudi Arabia, earning him praise from organizers as a “man of action”.
The prime minister also met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Minister of Investment Khalid al-Falih, Minister of Finance Mohammad Al-Jadaan and Minister of Industry Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khoraf on Sunday in separate engagements.
At a gala dinner hosted by the Saudi crown prince, the prime minister thanked the crown prince for sending a powerful delegation to Pakistan led by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.
The prime minister said he has brought a high-powered delegation to Riyadh, including key ministers responsible for investment, so that follow-up meetings can be held between relevant authorities to continue discussions.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih praised the prime minister as a “man of action” and said, “We all recognize your performance and the speed of your work…your mission is ours.” It’s a mission.”
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mohammad Al Jadaan said a Saudi investor delegation would soon visit Pakistan.
Pakistan is a priority for investment and Saudi Arabia will continue to cooperate fully in the fields of agriculture, information technology and energy, he said.
The prime minister also held talks with the Saudi Minister of Industry, who expressed strong interest in cooperating with Pakistan in areas such as agriculture, mining and information technology.
The minister said he was in touch with Saudi private companies regarding investments in Pakistan and representatives of these companies were expected to visit Pakistan soon.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also met with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the WEF meeting and reiterated his government’s determination to get Pakistan’s economy back on track.
The IMF chief said in a tweet that he had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz. “We talked about policy reforms and strong decisions to address it. [Pakistan’s] We will address the challenges and create stronger, more sustainable and more inclusive growth for the benefit of all Pakistanis,” she wrote in X.
