Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has confirmed that Pakistan will receive 15 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under the Covax facility. The announcement came after the minister met with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas.
Qureshi is currently on a two-day visit to Germany, meeting with the German authorities to secure their support in reducing global differential access to vaccine for developing countries and to promote foreign investment in Pakistan.
The minister said the 15m doses would be delivered by May through the COVAX scheme which is aimed at ensuring equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
Following my meeting with Foreign Minister HeikoMaas, I am happy to announce that Pakistan will receive 15 million doses of the #COVID vaccine under COVAX, with a commitment for these to be delivered by May,” the foreign minister tweeted.
“Pakistan has transformed its geographical political priorities into geographical economic priorities,” he said while talking about investment and trade opportunities in Pakistan. Qureshi said Pakistan is an emerging market of 220 million people where plenty of investment opportunities exist.
He further highlighted the government’s policies to facilities investment, trade, and tourism, through e-visas, eased import and export laws. This would facilitate foreign investors, he said as he welcomed German entrepreneurs and companies to invest in Pakistan.
Earlier, the foreign minister met with the Speaker of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany Nils Schmid. In a tweet, Qureshi said the two discussed the European Union, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and investment opportunities in special economic zones.
The FM’s meeting also had the developments in South Asia on the agenda and the key role being played by Pakistan in the region, especially in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister also met Dr Gunter Mulack, the director of the German Orient Institute and former ambassador to Pakistan. “[We] discussed the enhancement and promotion of the relationship between Pakistan and Germany and what we could do together for greater academic and economic diplomacy,” he said.
