Pakistan looks forward to fostering public private partnerships with Google: FM

Discussions with Google president aim to scale up Pakistan’s digital economy and skills

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said that Pakistan looks forward to fostering public-private partnerships with Google.

The foreign minister expressed these views while talking to President of Google for Asia-Pacific Scott Beaumont at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 53rd annual meeting in Davos.

The two discussed ways to scale up Pakistan’s digital economy, skills, and technical support for forecasting extreme weather events.

In a tweet, Bilawal said that he was “happy to meet Scott Beaumont” and shared images from their meeting.

On the sidelines of the WEF conference, the foreign minister also met the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, and thanked her for Slovenia’s “support and solidarity” post the floods in Pakistan last year.

The two also “discussed ways to further augment bilateral relations and exchanged views on contemporary regional and global issues of mutual interest”.

Further, Bilawal met South African Foreign Minister Dr Naledi Pandor and had a “good exchange on global issues of mutual interest”. He thanked Dr Pandor for South Africa’s “support and solidarity post floods”.

In a tweet, FM Bilawal said that the two countries “enjoy longstanding strong relations at all levels” and had resolved to further deepen ties, especially through trade and investment.

The foreign minister also met First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelensky on the sidelines of the WEF conference. He conveyed his condolences on the “tragic helicopter crash that resulted in the loss of lives and expressed his sympathies to the families of those who lost their loved ones.

FM Bilawal, accompanied by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar is representing Pakistan at the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

The meeting is being attended by dignitaries including political leaders, corporate executives, heads of international organizations, and leading media and civil society personalities.