Latest news with #TheAtlanticCouncil


Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Rubio lauds Pakistan's anti-terror role, vows deeper ties in meeting with FM Dar
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday acknowledged Pakistan's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and praised its constructive role in promoting regional stability, Aaj News reported. The remarks came during his first in-person meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, who is on an official visit to the United States. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including agriculture, minerals, and digital technology. The delegation-level talks were attended by senior officials from both sides, including Pakistan's Ambassador to the U.S., Rizwan Saeed Sheikh. Dar received a warm welcome upon arrival and appreciated the U.S. leadership's efforts toward peace. He highlighted Pakistan's potential as an investment destination and reiterated the importance of deepening trade and technology collaboration. The deputy prime minister is also scheduled to speak at the US think tank, The Atlantic Council, sharing Pakistan's perspective on regional and global issues as well as the future of Pak-US relations. Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, and senior embassy officials received Dar at the train station in the US capital. Reciprocal tariff: Pakistan officials to meet Trump administration, Bloomberg reports During his week-long visit, Dar attended high-level signature events of Pakistan's UN Security Council (UNSC) presidency in New York, while he met UN Secretary General António Guterres, on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, as well. A day ago, Bloomberg, quoting US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce as saying, reported that a Pakistani delegation will soon meet the administration of US President Donald Trump in a bid to reach an agreement on a trade deal. In a US Department of State press briefing on Wednesday, Bruce said she will attend the meeting between the Pakistani delegation and US officials. Islamabad is looking forward to the 29% reciprocal tariffs to be lifted that the Trump administration initially levied, Bloomberg said. The South Asian country has proposed to increase imports of soybeans and cotton, while it is already the second-largest buyer of US cotton by value, after China. Whereas, Pakistan's biggest export destination is the United States. Bilateral ties between Pakistan and US have improved in recent times, with Trump's holding a rare meeting with Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House. The FO stated on July 19 that FM Dar's visit is an indication of Pakistan's increasing importance in both its relations with the US and the global landscape. Moreover, in order to complete a trade agreement, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has also visited the United States and met with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington recently to advance economic cooperation, as per the Ministry of Finance. Reuters last week reported that the negotiations, focused on reciprocal tariffs, are part of a broader push to reset economic ties at a time of shifting geopolitical alignments and Pakistan's efforts to avoid steep US duties on exports.


Arab News
5 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan deputy PM in Washington to discuss trade, economic cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, has arrived in Washington to discuss trade, economic cooperation and other matters, the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Friday. Pakistan and the United States (US) have been engaged in talks after Washington announced a 29 percent 'reciprocal tariff' on Pakistani exports in April. Islamabad said the move, paused in June for a 90-day period, may undercut its fragile, export-led recovery. The US is Pakistan's top export destination, with shipments totaling $5.44 billion in fiscal year 2023-2024, according to official data. From July 2024 to February 2025, exports rose 10 percent from a year earlier. Deputy PM Dar, who was received by Pakistan's Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh upon arrival in Washington, is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry. 'The meeting will discuss important facets of Pakistan-US relations exploring ways and means to strengthen bilateral ties, with a particular focus on promoting trade, investment and economic cooperation,' the Pakistani foreign ministry said. 'The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister is also scheduled to speak at the US think tank, The Atlantic Council, sharing Pakistan's perspective on regional and global issues as well as the future of Pakistan-US relations.' Nearly 90 percent of Pakistan's exports to the US are textiles, a sector that is most vulnerable to the duties. The South Asian country is also seeking to diversify its trade destinations and export base to mitigate risks related to its international trade as it recovers from a macroeconomic crisis under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said last week that Islamabad and Washington are exploring a shift in their economic engagement from a trade-focused relationship to one anchored in long-term investment, following his meeting with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington. 'One thing we discussed was that we have to move beyond the immediate trade imperative for it to be brought into the next level and bring in a real step change,' Aurangzeb said. 'So, the investment imperative will come forward, and areas have already been identified in terms of minerals and mining, in terms of AI [artificial intelligence], in terms of digital infrastructure [and] crypto,' he continued. 'We feel that this will be a real game changer, God willing, in terms of the relationship and the economic relationship between Pakistan and the United States.' The Pakistani finance chief said both sides were committed to resolving outstanding trade issues to move 'toward the finishing line' and begin investment-related discussions 'very quickly.'


CNBC
24-06-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Iranian leadership is showing it doesn't have the stomach to escalate tensions, says Atlantic's Kempe
Fred Kempe, The Atlantic Council CEO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the ceasefire between Israel and Iran as the President Trump heads to NATO Summit.


CNBC
23-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Iran is putting their regime in danger, says The Atlantic Council CEO Fred Kempe
Fred Kempe, The Atlantic Council CEO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the Israel-Iran conflict and what could happen from here.


CNBC
17-06-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Israel sees Iran conflict as an existential question, says The Atlantic Council CEO Fred Kempe
Fred Kempe, The Atlantic Council, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the impact of President Trump leaving the G7 Summit, how close Iran is to having a nuclear weapon and much more.