‘Australia aims to take trade ties further’

ISLAMABAD: Australia was looking to tap diversified trade opportunities in specialised sectors of economy, with a focus on women empowerment projects in Pakistan, an envoy said on Monday.

“Both the countries are in regular engagement to strengthening ties for common development,” Naela Chohan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Australia, said in an exclusive interview with Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Chohan, who was flanked also by Margaret Adamson, her Australian counterpart in Islamabad, said agriculture, defence, education and health were Pakistan’s primary sectors of interest to enhance interaction with Australia.

“Australian Center for International Agricultural Research’s (ACIAR) project Micro Credit Empowerment of women in agriculture sector remained very successful here,” Naela said highlighting the impacts of Australian cooperation on Pakistan’s agricultural sector.

She said Andrew Campbell, chief executive officer of ACIAR, was very keen to visit Pakistan to witness collaborated agricultural projects. “Capacity building that includes training of agricultural trainers and small farmers is going on successfully and it is a matter of pride for the country that Australians prefer to import Pakistani mangoes for their superior quality,” Naela said.

Responding to a question, Margaret Adamson, Australian High Commissioner in Islamabad, said the ACIAR was focusing on research and training activities and Australian trainers would soon come to Pakistan to help enhance capacity building of agriculture sector.

“It is an equal opportunity scheme and under this project 50 percent scholarships would be offered to women students,” Adamson said adding, “The ACIAR had a priority to extend research and support programme in Pakistan.”

Margaret said Australia was assisting Pakistan in mango sector for the last ten years and soon mangoes from would be exported to Japan and other European countries. The Australian high commissioner also highlighted her country’s role in eradicating poverty, embarking on strategies to improve women education, health, and gender empowerment in Pakistan.

“Being a world-class education destination, a large number of Pakistani students are studying in Australia and it is hoped that this number will multiply with an increase in the awareness about the high-quality opportunities offered by our institutions,” Adamson added.