US diplomat Angela Aggeler’s visit to Karachi aimed at ‘promoting bilateral anti-Covid efforts’

US Chargé d’Affaires Angela P. Aggeler visited Karachi from September 29 to October 1 to strengthen ties between Pakistan and the United States and promote our shared anti-Covid efforts, including the recent US donations of nearly 16 million Pfizer vaccine doses to the people of Pakistan, and the planned donation of nearly 10 million more Pfizer doses in the coming days.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed the American diplomat back to Karachi for her second visit, said a US Consulate visit on Saturday.

Chargé d’Affaires Aggeler discussed opportunities to improve economic opportunities for the people of Sindh with Governor Imran Ismail and discussed plans for infrastructure development in Karachi.

During her meeting with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, she highlighted the US partnership with the provincial authorities to fight Covid-19 and US support for education in Sindh, including the USAID-funded Sindh Basic Education Program. She also discussed with both officials US-Pakistan efforts to promote regional security.

Aggeler later exchanged views on Pakistan’s economic outlook during a meeting with State Bank of Pakistan Governor Reza Baqir. To end her trip, she met with representatives of US energy company Excelerate to discuss its floating storage regasification unit, the Exquisite, docked at Port Qasim, and the company’s contributions to Pakistan’s energy sector.

One of the highlights of Chargé d’Affaires Aggeler’s visit was the launch of the US Consulate Karachi’s “Fizaaon Se Falaah Tak” campaign to encourage Pakistani citizens to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. She launched the campaign in partnership with Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Pechuho, actor Mahira Khan, and singer Shehzad Roy at Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

The United States has donated almost 15.8 million life-saving Covid-19 vaccine doses to Pakistan since July, and recently announced a donation of an additional 9.6 million Pfizer doses to be delivered in October. These Pfizer vaccines are part of the 500 million Pfizer doses the United States purchased this summer to deliver to 92 countries worldwide, including Pakistan, to fulfil President Biden’s commitment to provide safe and effective vaccines around the world and supercharge the global fight against the pandemic.

At the virtual Global Covid-19 Summit held on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September, President Biden announced that the United States would provide an additional 500 million Pfizer vaccines to low and lower-middle income countries around the globe, with shipments starting in January 2022.

This will bring the total number of vaccines donated by the United States around the globe to more than 1.1 billion, providing more free doses worldwide than every other country in the world combined.