ISLAMABAD: Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday visited the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo and met Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit.
Qureshi is on a two-day visit to Egypt on the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry.
“During the meeting, regional issues, important global issues and issues of mutual interest were discussed,” the foreign office said in a statement.
The Arab League, formally the League of Arab States, is a regional organization in the Arab world. It was formed in Cairo on March 22, 1945 initially with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Currently the League has 22 members.
“Discussed bringing new innovation and direction to our existing framework of cooperation to develop stronger collaboration,” Qureshi said about his meeting with Gheit.
Pleasure to meet Mr Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Sec-Gen of @arableague_gs & to reaffirm the importance accords to the organization and all of its member states. Discussed bringing new innovation and direction to our existing framework of cooperation to develop stronger collaboration. pic.twitter.com/JNP1uU7m1d
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) February 18, 2021
In its statement, the foreign office said Pakistan gave “special importance” to member countries of the Arab League and reiterated the need to implement a Memorandum of Understanding between Pakistan and the organization.
“The two leaders agreed to continue consultations in this regard,” the statement said.
According to WAM, a Middle Eastern news agency, Gheit expressed his deep appreciation for the historic ties between Pakistan and the Arab countries, saying they were grounded in common interests and cultural, religious and people ties.
On Wednesday, Qureshi offered to boost Pakistan’s ties with Egypt by sharing its counterterrorism experience during a meeting with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo.
On behalf of Pakistani President Dr. Arif Alvi, he also invited El-Sisi to visit Islamabad, which the Egyptian leader said would happen “at the earliest opportunity.”
Prior to his meeting with El-Sisi, Qureshi met prominent members of the Egyptian business community and urged Egyptian companies to invest in various sectors in Pakistan, particularly housing and construction, energy and health.
He also met with Shoukry and said they had “discussed ways to grow our ties, with greater people to people contact, trade and sustained engagement.”
