Islamabad, In a meeting today with the French Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Nicholas Galey, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations and cooperation between Pakistan and France.
According to Press Information Department, the discussions covered a range of topics, including the renewal of Pakistan’s GSP Plus status, which the French government has supported. Minister Aurangzeb briefed Ambassador Galey on various economic stabilization measures taken by the Pakistani government, such as increases in agricultural production, stabilization of foreign exchange reserves, a stable national currency, declining inflation rates, and a positive trend in the stock market.
The meeting also touched on the successful conclusion of the second IMF review under the Standby Arrangement (SBA) and ongoing key reforms in areas such as privatization, state-owned enterprises, the Federal Board of Revenue’s digitization, export-led growth, and energy sector reforms aimed at reducing costs.
Further, Minister Aurangzeb highlighted the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in enhancing investor facilitation and streamlining processes to boost economic growth. Ambassador Galey, acknowledging the efforts made by the Pakistani government to stabilize the economy, expressed optimism about future economic cooperation between the two nations. He offered French technical cooperation in sectors of mutual interest to support sustainable economic growth and underscored confidence in the potential for further collaboration.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic relations, exploring new investment opportunities, and expanding bilateral trade.