ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Norway have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, defence, education, information technology, climate change and maritime affairs.
The understanding was reached during formal talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide in Islamabad.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation against human smuggling and explore legal avenues for greater labour mobility and employment opportunities for skilled Pakistanis in Norway.
Speaking at a joint press briefing, Dar said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relationship with Norway and believes bilateral trade remains well below its actual potential. He called for practical measures to expand commercial ties and attract greater Norwegian investment.
Dar highlighted Pakistan’s investment opportunities and pointed to a planned joint venture between Norwegian company Yara International and Fauji Fertilizer Company in the field of plant nutrition, describing it as a potential model for future cooperation.
He also noted the growing technology partnership between the two countries, saying Pakistan’s IT exports to Norway have increased fivefold.
Both sides agreed to speed up work on pending agreements and memorandums of understanding. Dar also appreciated Norway’s assistance to Pakistan’s maritime sector, particularly in capacity building and technical training for the shipbreaking industry.
The two countries further agreed to promote stronger people-to-people contacts and continue discussions on legal migration and labour mobility.
Dar said Pakistan and Norway share common positions on multilateralism, the UN Charter, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
During the talks, Dar also briefed the Norwegian foreign minister on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and raised concerns over India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. He urged India to honour its international commitments and avoid using water as a political tool.
For his part, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide described Pakistan-Norway relations as strong and praised Islamabad’s role during the recent Iran-US conflict.
He also commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for what he described as their constructive efforts in support of regional and global peace.
