US envoy pledges strong economic ties in Karachi visit
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
During the visit, Baker met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Kamran Tessori
US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker visits Karachi
US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker stated that Washington remains committed to supporting Pakistan’s success through trade, investment, and innovation, emphasizing that deeper bilateral economic cooperation would yield tangible benefits for both countries.
Baker visited Karachi from September 23-26 to strengthen US-Pakistan ties in trade and investment, according to a press release issued by the US embassy.
“Strengthening our commercial partnership with Pakistan benefits both our peoples and helps foster shared prosperity,” she said during meetings with political leaders, business executives and government officials. “Together, we can ensure the next chapter of our partnership is one of mutual growth and opportunity.”
She noted that more than 80 American companies operate in Pakistan, directly employing 120,000 workers and indirectly supporting a million more. “By working together, we can help Pakistani businesses reach their full potential, create opportunities for American businesses, and contribute to Pakistan’s economic development,” she added.
During the visit, Baker met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Kamran Tessori to discuss trade, investment, and flood recovery, including the impact of recent US contributions.
She also held discussions with business leaders, including executives from Kentucky Fried Chicken, Liberty Group, Gerry’s Group, and the Reko Diq mining project, exploring opportunities in technology, energy, critical minerals, manufacturing, textiles, packaging and ports.
US textile businesses briefed Baker on innovations such as RFID (radio-frequency identification) and smart labels, which are being used to improve supply chain management and could help streamline Pakistan’s export industries, the statement said.
She also met Liberty Group officials and Reko Diq’s new country manager to discuss US support for Pakistan’s critical minerals sector. At Gerry’s Group, she highlighted the contributions of American franchises in Pakistan and discussed opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
In another engagement, Baker joined senior officials of the Pakistan Navy to welcome the USS Wayne E Meyer, an Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer, to Karachi port.
Reference Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569231/us-envoy-pledges-strong-economic-ties-in-karachi-visit;
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
