Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, :Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, and Walter Rosenkranz, President of the National Council of Austria, on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Pakistan-Austria relations through enhanced parliamentary engagement, economic cooperation, and collaboration on global initiatives.
The chairman who is currently on a visit to Ireland and Austria leading a parliamentary delegation thanked Austria for its valuable support for Pakistan’s candidature for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2025-26.
Pakistan, in turn, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Austria’s candidature for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC.
Both leaders emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the UN system, ensuring it better serves global peace, security, and development.
During the meeting, the Chairman extended a formal invitation to President Rosenkranz to visit Pakistan, which was graciously accepted.
Both leaders agreed that future parliamentary delegations to Austria should include representatives from the business sector to strengthen government-to-business (G2B) and business-to-business (B2B) cooperation, thereby enhancing economic and trade relations between the two countries.
Recognizing the steady evolution of Pakistan-Austria ties, the two leaders reiterated their commitment to expanding collaboration in key sectors such as higher education, technology, renewable energy, and industrial development.
The leaders also discussed avenues for enhancing parliamentary diplomacy to further inter-parliamentary cooperation and policy exchange.
Gilani emphasized the importance of sustained high-level parliamentary exchanges and the role of the Pakistan-Austria Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Senate of Pakistan in fostering legislative dialogue.
He encouraged the establishment of a similar parliamentary group in Austria to promote deeper engagement and mutual learning.
Both sides acknowledged the importance of addressing transnational challenges such as climate change and sustainable development.
They underscored the need to leverage Austria’s expertise in clean technologies and Pakistan’s commitment to climate resilience to develop joint initiatives in these critical areas.
Chairman Senate and President Rosenkranz also emphasized the role of educational and cultural exchanges in strengthening people-to-people contacts.
Recognizing Pakistan’s vast potential in heritage, cultural, and adventure tourism, they agreed on the need to improve travel facilitation, including visa policies and direct connectivity, to boost bilateral tourism and student exchanges.
