US keen to enhance trade and investment ties with Pakistan: Vinay Chawla

The US Government is extremely interested in enhancing bilateral trade and investment relations between the two countries. Many bilateral programs had been initiated through the USAID in Pakistan, US Embassy Deputy Coordinator for Development and Assistance Vinay Chawla said on Monday while addressing the members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).
Chawla said that the US Government wanted to enhance its economic relationship with the present Pakistani government, adding that the US civilian assistance in Pakistan had a five-pillar strategy which included energy, economic growth, community stabilization, education and health.
He said the US government’s development cooperation budget for Pakistan was the second largest in the world, adding that the USAID had provided over $2.8 billion in assistance since 2009 and an additional $723 million were to be provided in 2013.
In a presentation he revealed that all priorities were jointly developed with the government of Pakistan at the federal and provincial levels, and furthermore, the work was largely carried out by Pakistani institutions thus creating local employment opportunities and bolstering economic growth. Furthermore, he said that large-scale energy projects had added 900 MW to the power grid which would reach 1200 MW by 2014. He also said that they would support the Faislabad Electricity Supply Cooperation (FESCO) to improve its operational performance via a power distribution program.
Chawla added that civil society support and gender equity programs aimed at enhancing women’s empowerment, access to justice and combating gender-based violence would also be launched. Moreover, a $14 million support program planned to improve the productivity, yield and income of dairy farmers along with the new projects in basic education, advanced studies, health, workforce development would also be pursued, he added.
FCCI President Mian Zahid Aslam said that role of the US Government for the expansion of bilateral economic cooperation with Pakistan was appreciable, adding that “the USAID was engaged in providing assistance and support in many areas as to strengthen Pakistan’s energy sector to improve efficiency, modernize equipment, technical support and training, increase the educational economic opportunities to Pakistani citizens, improve the provision of health care services and meet critical infrastructure needs in remote mountain areas. The services of the USAID to provide relief and recovery assistance at the time of super floods in 2010 was also commendable.”