Pakistan, Austria Pledge to Strengthen Ties Through Parliamentary and Economic Cooperation

Islamabad: Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Walter Rosenkranz, President of the National Council of Austria, agreed to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening Pakistan-Austria relations during a meeting. Gillani, who is leading a parliamentary delegation on a visit to Ireland and Austria, thanked Austria for its support in Pakistan’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2025-26. Additionally, the delegation also expressed its unwavering support for Austria’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UNSC.

The leaders from both sides highlighted the importance of collaboration to improve the efficiency of the United Nations system, aiming to better address global peace, security, and development challenges. They also discussed the ways to enhance parliamentary diplomacy and agreed on the need for continued high-level exchanges to further inter-parliamentary cooperation. Chairman Gillani extended an official invitation to President Rosenkranz to visit Pakistan, which was warmly accepted.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of business sector involvement in future parliamentary delegations to Austria to promote government-to-business (G2B) and business-to-business (B2B) cooperation. This initiative is expected to bolster economic and trade relations between the two nations. The leaders also agreed to expand collaboration in sectors such as higher education, technology, renewable energy, and industrial development, while recognizing the evolution of Pakistan-Austria ties as a testament to their growing bilateral relationship.

Further discussions revolved around transnational challenges, including climate change and sustainable development, where both sides committed to leveraging Austria’s expertise in clean technologies and Pakistan’s climate resilience efforts. They also discussed the importance of educational and cultural exchanges in strengthening people-to-people ties, agreeing to enhance travel facilitation, including visa policies and direct connectivity, to promote tourism and student exchanges between the two countries.