ISLAMABAD: /DNA/ – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke with his counterpart from Chad, Cherif Mahamat Zene, today. The conversation focused on deepening historic ties between the two countries and strengthening bilateral cooperation.

The Foreign Minister underscored the importance accorded to fraternal relations with Chad and laudedChad’s substantive contributions to regional and international organisations including the UN, AU andOIC.

The two Foreign Ministers expressed satisfaction over existing levels of mutual cooperation and identified new vistas for political, diplomatic, trade and defence collaboration.

Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted Pakistan’s‘Engage Africa’ policy and apprised of the steps taken to reinforce Pakistan-Africa relations. In this regard, he highlighted expansion of Pakistan’s diplomatic footprint in the Continent and steps for closer trade and investment collaboration.

The two Foreign Ministers concurred in establishing bilateral mechanisms for regular exchanges between their respective Foreign Ministries and continued opportunities for young diplomats from Chad to train at Foreign Service Academy, Islamabad.