By EuAsiaNews,
Brussels : The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP) ended in Brussels Friday evening stressing that success in Pakistan’s democratic progress is vital for global peace and security.
“It was agreed that the success of Pakistan’s experience in developing a strong democratic system, the welfare and well-being of its people, combating extremism and terrorism and Pakistan’s economic prosperity and stability were critical for regional and global peace and stability, ” noted a joint communiqué issued at the end of the one-day meeting.
Representatives of 26 countries and organisations looked into the aftermath of the recent floods in Pakistan and at a longer term comprehensive approach to recovery.
The forum was hosted by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
“A safe, secure and prosperous Pakistan is in the interest of the people of Pakistan but also in the interest of the European Union and the international community,” Ashton told a news conference.
The communiqué also noted “the need for continued efforts by the Government of Pakistan under its reform programme towards economic stabilisation and sustained economic revival, including widening the tax base.”
Qureshi told the joint press reporters that “if we want the economy to grow we will have to put in a greater national effort in resource mobilisation. There are areas that have not been contributing and we need to broaden that base.”
The Friends affirmed that the FODP is a Pakistan-led process where international cooperation can be expressed for Pakistan’s aspirations to build a strong and prosperous society for its people and looked forward to progress on economic reform.
They acknowledged that socio-economic challenges had been compounded by the devastation caused by the floods.
The meeting acknowledged water management as an important priority for the Government of Pakistan. It was agreed that the Asian Development Bank, through a Task Force, will prepare a strategy on water management in consultation with the Government of Pakistan.
The Friends of Democratic Pakistan was established as a forum in September 2008. It aims to serve as a political forum to express international solidarity with the Pakistani people’s aspiration to build a stable, democratic and prosperous nation .
The Brussels meeting welcomed Egypt as a new member of the forum.
The 26 FODP members are apart from Pakistan, the Asian Development Bank, Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Union, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, the United Nations, and the World Bank.