Zardari holds talks with Philippine, Guatemalan leaders to boost trade, cooperation

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday hosted separate meetings with former leaders of the Philippines and Guatemala, highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, defence, and climate resilience.

Former president and current Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, Ms Gloria Macapagal, called on President Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Welcoming her, the president noted the seven decades of enduring friendship between Pakistan and the Philippines, highlighting the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Bilateral Defence Cooperation as a milestone. He congratulated the Philippines on assuming the ASEAN Chairship for 2026 and reaffirmed Pakistan’s appreciation for Manila’s support in regional multilateral engagement.

President Zardari expressed solidarity with the Philippine government and people following the recent earthquake in Cebu and Typhoons Kalmaegi and Fung-wong, pledging Pakistan’s support in recovery efforts. He also called for enhanced economic engagement, including trade in food and pharmaceuticals and greater private-sector collaboration. Appreciation was expressed for the Philippines granting long-term residence permits to Pakistanis married to Filipino nationals.

Ms Macapagal thanked President Zardari for the warm reception and reaffirmed Manila’s resolve to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in trade, defence, and people-to-people exchanges. She recalled her father’s visit to Pakistan in 1959, underscoring the long-standing bonds of mutual respect between the two nations.

In a separate meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Zardari welcomed former president and current Speaker of Guatemala’s Parliament, Jimmy Morales. Highlighting shared challenges in rural development, climate resilience, and economic modernisation, the President identified sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and health sciences as key areas for collaboration. He briefed Morales on Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), inviting Guatemalan investment and joint ventures across agriculture, IT, energy, mining, and defence production.

President Zardari also appreciated Guatemala’s support for Pakistan at the United Nations, including backing Pakistan’s candidatures to the Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council, and called for continued cooperation in multilateral forums. He highlighted the importance of parliamentary and institutional exchanges, noting that geographical distance should not limit bilateral engagement.

Jimmy Morales thanked Pakistan for hosting the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and said the meetings would open new avenues for trade and cooperation, expressing interest in learning from Pakistan’s experience in various sectors.

Both meetings were attended by Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, Senators Sherry Rehman and Saleem Mandviwala, along with other senior officials.