Agriculture, food security, water management: Pakistan, KSA agree to expand cooperation

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to turn their longstanding ties into stronger economic and investment links, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Friday agreed to expand cooperation in agriculture, water management and food security. The understanding was reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Engineer Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley. The discussions focused on increasing agricultural productivity in Pakistan through greater use of technology, research and development and more efficient management of water resources. The two sides also reviewed ongoing cooperation, particularly the export of Pakistani agricultural products to Saudi Arabia. Welcoming the Saudi minister and his delegation, Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoyed deep-rooted and fraternal relations and described the two countries as strategic partners. He said the longstanding relationship should now be translated into stronger trade and investment ties, particularly in the economic and agricultural sectors, so that both countries could benefit from their close partnership. Sharif also expressed satisfaction over the posi