Pakistan, S’pore eyeing increase in exports of food and agricultural products

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (right) meeting his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday. PHOTO: VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN/FACEBOOK

SINGAPORE - Pakistan and Singapore are looking forward to increasing exports in food and agricultural products, said the foreign ministers of both countries.

Visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is in Singapore on a day-long official trip, reviewed the growth in trade between Pakistan and Singapore during a breakfast meeting with his Singapore counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday.

The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in several key areas, including trade facilitation, digital economy and digital finance, as well as strengthen people-to-people exchanges and capacity building under the Singapore Cooperation Programme.

Dr Balakrishnan, in a Facebook post, said: “We had an in-depth exchange over breakfast on bilateral relations as well as regional strategic issues.”

On exports, he said: “There are a variety of food products from Pakistan which we can find in our supermarkets in Singapore, including mangoes and spices.”

Mr Bhutto Zardari, who is the son of the late former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, also called on President Halimah Yacob at the Istana.

They both reaffirmed the longstanding and friendly ties between Singapore and Pakistan, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

They also noted the scope for enhanced engagement between the businesses, peoples and governments of both countries, and exchanged views on developments in the region.

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