Pakistan’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is heading to Goa, India for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting. The Pakistani delegation will focus on strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing trade, and discussing climate change and issues related to the devastating floods that occurred in Pakistan last year.
Pakistan’s security establishment decided not to skip the SCO CFM in India, despite facing economic crisis and hyperinflation. As they await to finalise the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which will allow friendly nations to send it economic aid, Pakistan is hoping to enhance their trade ties with other member states of the SCO.
During the SCO CFM meeting, no bilateral issues will be raised, and the focus will solely be on addressing regional and international matters of mutual concern and interest. Bilateral meetings will not occur even on the sidelines. The Pakistani delegation was directed to focus on issues related to peace, trade and regional cooperation for the betterment of Pakistan.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is expected to arrive on May 4th and lead the Pakistani delegation at the CFM of the SCO which will be held in Goa on May 4th and May 5th. India has extended invitations to all members of the SCO since it is the current president of the organisation. Foreign ministers from the member states will discuss a range of important geopolitical issues, such as economic cooperation and regional security. The discussions are expected to focus significantly on the situation in Afghanistan, including concerns about the potential for the country to become a hotbed of terrorism under Taliban leadership, as well as the rapidly changing regional security environment.
