ISLAMABAD – The United States (US) would support mega projects like China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) and Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline.
While addressing the “The Leaders Summit” on Thursday, the US Embassy’s Charge d’ Affaires Jonathan Pratt in reply to a question said that the US backed the projects as the projects would enhance regional connectivity with Pakistan. He discussed the benefits of regional economic connectivity and the US assistance to Pakistan at the summit.
“On regional connectivity, what we have tried to do is to build a strategy that would increase trade and improve relations in the region between neighbors,” Pratt said. “If the region is better connected with better business relationships, we hope that will support ongoing improvement in political relationships,” he remarked.
Pratt said that Pakistan and the US collaborated in a variety of measures to enhance regional connectivity and integration through measures like rebuilding road infrastructure and expanding customs check points. He said in an ongoing strategic dialogue that Pakistan and the US were also collaborating in areas such as educational exchange programs and energy.
The summit was a day-long conference sponsored by different organisations including the Nutshell Forum and the Jang Media Group. Focused on the theme of “The BIG Rethink” the event featured discussions on innovation, leadership, energy, culture, diversity, business strategy and crisis management.
Approximately 500 people including businessmen leaders, government officials, and academics attended the third-annual summit which was organised by Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, an alumnus of the American Embassy’s International Visitor Leadership Programme, sponsored the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
