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- Envoy Blome on visit to Karachi on November 17 and 18 to strengthen economic, health ties
- Says committed to boosting bilateral trade, investment through US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework
KARACHI: United States Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome has vowed to boost bilateral trade and investment between Pakistan and Washington through a new ‘green alliance’ framework, a statement from the US embassy said on Tuesday.
Blome was on a visit to Karachi on November 17 and 18 to strengthen economic partnership and public health cooperation.
During his visit, Blome met with representatives of the American Business Council and the Agha Khan University Hospital, and visited a KFC-funded school for the deaf.
“I am committed to boosting bilateral trade and investment, especially through a new framework called the US-Pakistan Green Alliance that seeks to promote climate-smart agriculture and private sector-led growth in Pakistan,” Bloom was quoted as saying in the statement.
US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome (center) pictured during his visit to Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi on November 17, 2022. (Photo courtesy: US Consulate)
About his meeting with officials at Aga Khan University Hospital, the ambassador said the US remained committed to expanding health care cooperation with Pakistan.
“Ambassador Blome visited a KFC-funded school for the Deaf community and ate lunch at one of the KFC establishments that hires differently abled workers,” the statement said.
“He was impressed to see that KFC not only donated to the flood-relief efforts, but that it is taking corporate responsibility to heart by creating meaningful job opportunities for the hard-of-hearing and leading the way on inclusivity.”
The United States is Pakistan’s largest bilateral trade partner and one of its largest sources of foreign direct investment, with US investment in Pakistan increasing more than 50 percent in the past year.
The United States government has contributed $97 million to flood-relief efforts to date, while the US private sector and citizens have separately donated more than $32 million.
“The US government is dedicated to expanding the full range of the US-Pakistan relationship including education, people-to-people ties, clean energy, and health-related cooperation,” the embassy said.
“Together we can promote a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for both our nations.”