US’s Ambassador Donald Blome underscores strong Pak-US bilateral relations

KARACHI: US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome visited Karachi June 22-24 to underscore the strong bilateral ties between the United States and Pakistan and to further strengthen the robust bilateral economic partnership via the US-Pakistan “Green Alliance” framework, says a Press release.
Ambassador Blome engaged with government officials, the American Business Council, the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Pakistan Council on Foreign Relations, and the Pakistan Naval Academy.
Ambassador Blome and Consul General Theriot were joined by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other political, business, and civil society leaders in Karachi to celebrate the 247th U.S. Independence Day. In his remarks at the reception, Ambassador Blome said, “I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to live and serve in this remarkable country. Americans and Pakistanis have so much in common and have many shared achievements to be proud of. Together, we can advance a more stable, green, and prosperous future for both our nations.”
In his meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Ambassador Blome discussed opportunities to expand the US-Pakistan trade and economic partnership and other shared priorities. The Ambassador also visited Joint Maritime Information Command Center (JMICC) and met with the COMCOAST Commander Rear Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz to advance a common vision for Maritime peace and stability in the region.
In his meetings with industry leaders at the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and American Business Council (ABC), Ambassador Blome discussed how the United States and Pakistan can further facilitate private sector-led, equitable, and sustainable economic growth for both nations.
He commented, “We are committed to boosting bilateral trade and investment, especially through a new framework called the US-Pakistan ‘Green Alliance’ that seeks to promote climate-smart agriculture and private sector-led growth in Pakistan.” The United States is Pakistan’s largest bilateral trade partner and one of its largest sources of foreign direct investment, with U.S. investment in Pakistan increasing more than 50 percent in the past year.
Another important highlight of Ambassador Blome’s Karachi visit was to observe the Commencement Exercise at Pakistan Naval Academy. He noted, “We want to further strengthen the maritime security cooperation with the Pakistan Navy to secure freedom of navigation in international waters to facilitate economic activity in the region and globally.”