Mohsin Siddiqui (Chief Reporter) 

The Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Mr. Nicholas Galey, met with Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, at the Finance Division in Islamabad. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss mutual interests and bolster the bilateral relations between Pakistan and France.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb warmly welcomed the French Ambassador and expressed gratitude for France’s support in renewing Pakistan’s GSP Plus status. He provided an overview of the government’s efforts to stabilize the economy, highlighting achievements such as increased agricultural production, forex reserves reaching $9 billion, a stable rupee, declining inflation, and a thriving stock market. Additionally, he briefed the Ambassador on the successful conclusion of the second IMF review under the Standby Arrangement (SBA) and ongoing key reforms in privatization, state-owned enterprise (SOE) reforms, FBR digitization, export-driven growth, and energy sector restructuring to reduce costs. The Finance Minister emphasized the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in facilitating investors and streamlining processes to foster economic growth.

In response, the French Ambassador commended the Pakistani government’s efforts and expressed optimism about the future economic cooperation between the two nations. He offered technical cooperation in areas conducive to sustainable economic growth and acknowledged Pakistan’s progress in stabilizing the economy. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic ties, exploring investment opportunities, and expanding bilateral trade in the future.