ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is committed to intensifying efforts for achieving accelerated development through a strategy that combines inclusive growth with green development under the 12th five-year plan (2018-23), which is currently under preparation.
Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz was addressing a symposium to mark the conclusion of an Institutional Cooperation Programme between Pakistan and Norway.
Ambassador of Norway to Pakistan Tore Nedrebo and Pakistan’s Planning Commission secretary among senior officials also graced the occasion with their presence.
Sartaj Aziz thanked the government of Norway for providing financial grant amounting to Rs 600 million for capacity building in different fields.
He said that collaboration of Pakistani institutes with their respective counterparts in Norway has played a vital role in promoting the key objective of capacity building in areas like cancer diagnostics, accreditation, marine fisheries, seismic monitoring network handling and tsunami modelling, petroleum studies, crop sciences and other areas.
He said that 17 projects have been completed under this programme. He highlighted the importance of few projects like National Institute of Laser & Optronics for early detection of deep-seated tumor, establishment of Norwegian Centre of Excellence for Petroleum Studies at NED University Karachi, capacity building of survey of Pakistan for preparation of geographical data for digital elevation model generation using high resolution satellite images, School of Chemical and Material Engineering at NUST to improve the quality and efficiency of natural gas and Pakistan National Accreditation Council, which will expand the recognition of Pakistani institutions abroad.
He expressed hope that linkages developed between the institutes of both the countries will assist Pakistani experts and institutes to share the new technologies with other institutions in Pakistan.
Addressing on the occasion, Norwegian envoy Tore Nedrebo said that Pakistan-Norway Institutional Cooperation Programme has been an important part of the bilateral Norwegian development assistance to Pakistan. He maintained that Norway and Pakistan enjoy a cordial relationship and the institutional cooperation programme has significantly contributed to extending and strengthening this relationship, particularly at the level of academia and people.
Tore acknowledged that not only Pakistan but Norwegian institutions have learnt a lot from the programme, as well as enjoyed the famous Pakistani hospitality.
He concluded by expressing his gratitude for programme leadership and the team at Planning Commission of Pakistan who made this cooperation productive and meaningful for both sides.
