Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Blome at the “International Conference on Strengthening Pakistan-U.S. Relations”
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad
Islamabad
AMBASSADOR BLOME: Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General, ISSI; Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director, Center for Strategic and Policy Studies, ISSI; Ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan, Beaconhouse National University; Additional Secretary Maryam Aftab. Thank you, Mahrukh, for having me today and a very good morning.
It’s great to be back at the Institute of Strategic Studies to discuss the U.S.-Pakistan relationship – one that has been, and remains, vitally important for both our countries and the region. I look forward to outlining today exactly how and why that is the case.
The United States and Pakistan share a long history of partnership and cooperation. It is a relationship that has endured despite its many challenges. Some observers contend the United States and Pakistan have sometimes struggled to understand each other. But that assessment simplifies and obscures what we have accomplished through several decades of collaboration.
But before I get to those accomplishments, I want to make clear why this relationship is important for the United States and why we have invested in it over the years. Simply put, we recognize Pakistan’s enormous potential. It is one of the world’s most populous countries, with a growing and dynamic young population. And in my engagements with that young generation, I continue to be impressed by their ambitions, their ideas, their commitment to seeing a better and brighter future for their country. Those sentiments represent economic opportunities to explore in climate, technology, manufacturing, trade, security – areas for growth and development that would not only benefit Pakistan but also the region and the world. We want Pakistan and its citizens to realize those possibilities.
At the same time, we cannot ignore our cooperation in combating threats to regional and global peace and security. We recognize the sacrifices Pakistanis have made to confront terrorism, and we will continue to be a partner in strengthening your ability to counter these threats. A stable and secure Pakistan is key to ensuring broader regional stability, and we want to help advance that shared objective.
Many would argue that security issues have been at the center of our relationship, but I would counter that they are not – and should not be — the sole defining aspect of our partnership. In the past few years alone, the United States and Pakistan have tackled great obstacles – such as floods, a pandemic, economic setbacks. Those of us who have worked together to strengthen this relationship have always recognized that our partnership is, and has always been, part of a longer journey toward increased prosperity and security for both our two nations. And each step of this journey, across many different fields, has been important.
The United States is committed to seeing this partnership succeed and flourish, which is why we have invested so much in it over the years. And I’d like to spend just a little bit of time now to highlight just how we’ve done that.
We can start now with our economic partnership, one of the cornerstones of our relationship. The significance of our economic ties is evident in our trade relations. The United States is Pakistan’s largest export market globally, and last year alone bilateral trade between our nations exceeded $9 billion, a testament to the robust economic relationship we share. It bears noting that Pakistan runs about a $3 billion trade surplus with the United States.
The private sector has recognized Pakistan’s potential and has also contributed to growth and prosperity. American businesses have played a leading role in Pakistan since its founding, further deepening our connections. U.S. firms overwhelmingly employ Pakistanis from top to bottom, train them for the highest technical and management levels. These employees go on to establish and run their own global firms, helping Pakistan realize its enormous potential and showcasing the far-reaching impact of our economic collaboration. They bring American values of openness, transparency, and community citizenship to the private sector here. These companies provide nearly a hundred thousand Pakistani jobs, drive critical research and development, and support local communities.
Sustaining and growing this long-term relationship, however, faces additional headwinds as Pakistan’s economy sits at a critical juncture. We recognize the need for serious economic reforms – implemented courageously and purposefully. We fully support Pakistan’s work with the IMF to develop a sustainable approach to its budget and fiscal challenges, and Pakistan has made important progress on this front in recent days. Ultimately, Pakistan needs to solve the problem of generating economic growth, which will only come through unleashing the creativity and energy of its private sector.
Beyond these areas, the United States has been a leading contributor to Pakistan’s development. U.S. assistance has most notably supported infrastructure initiatives, including the rehabilitation and completion of the Mangla, Tarbela, Gomal Zam, Satpara, and Golen Gol hydroelectric projects. These dams provide clean, affordable energy to millions of homes, prevent catastrophic water shortages, and mitigate the damaging effects of flooding. Today we are upgrading Mangla with new General Electric turbines. These originals lasted 50 years, and the new versions will last another 50 years. That’s a 100-year investment in Pakistan the United States has funded directly, not through loans. That is what we mean by commitment.
In addition to the more than $215 million we provided for flood recovery and relief, we are also making investments in clean energy, water, and agriculture to help better position Pakistan for the future.
I want also to focus on what is ahead for our relationship, rather than recite a list of what we have already accomplished. I’m sure you have heard me speak about the U.S.-Pakistan Green Alliance framework. It is a great example of the impact of bilateral collaboration that deserves wider recognition.
Through the “Green Alliance” framework, our countries are working to address today’s most pressing challenges, especially around water management, climate-smart agriculture, and renewable energy – investments that will provide a more sustainable and resilient future for everyone.
This summer, we are launching a new climate-smart agriculture program to help farming families adapt and prepare the agriculture sector for a new era of sustainability and improved water management.
Going green not only mitigates climate change and environmental degradation, it also offers Pakistan tremendous economic opportunity. Green industries are increasingly profitable, expand trade and investment, and create new jobs, new industries, and new opportunities for our people. And we’re seeing this happen.
We need to collaborate and innovate with partners around the world if we are going to solve this collective problem. We want to have Pakistan as our partner in this challenge, and we see tremendous potential in this area that will benefit our countries for some time to come.
Let me point out as well other areas where the United States has invested in the future of Pakistan, many of which deserve more recognition for what they aim to accomplish. We are a steadfast supporter of Pakistan’s healthcare system. In May, the United States and the Sindh government launched a groundbreaking initiative with an investment of $9 million, aimed at addressing tuberculosis, a significant health challenge in Pakistan. The U.S. government is providing more than $85 million in funding to address malnutrition in Pakistan, including $12 million to treat acutely malnourished children. In education, our programs have constructed hundreds of new schools and rehabilitated thousands more, providing access to quality education for millions of Pakistani children and training for thousands of teachers. This investment will pay dividends into the future, bolstering the well-being of millions and preparing Pakistan for the challenges of the 21st century.
In addition, the U.S. Mission sends more than 500 Pakistanis to the United States each year on educational and professional exchanges. We support the two-way exchange of U.S. and Pakistani artists, musicians, and subject matter experts on topics of interest such as climate change and entrepreneurship. Our Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network now consists of more than 44,000 members across 14 chapters throughout Pakistan – the largest in the world. And these people-to-people programs help ensure the economic ties we are building rest on a solid foundation of mutual understanding and appreciation.
The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan spends more than $20 million annually to support academic exchange opportunities for Pakistanis, including our prestigious Humphrey and Fulbright programs. We have provided more than $30 million to support 34 university partnerships between U.S. and Pakistani institutions of higher education. We’ve established four Centers for Advanced Studies in energy, water, and agriculture that are generating the applied research and innovation needed to help solve Pakistan’s most pressing development challenges.
Another aspect of our work is the continued commitment to preserving Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, which has supported 35 cultural preservation projects nationwide since 2001. Through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation and other grants, we have supported the conservation of Gandhara archaeological treasures, the preservation of Mughal architectural heritage such as Wazir Khan Mosque, the restoration of Sufi shrines and Hindu monuments such as Hazrat Shah Shams Tabraiz and Varun Dev, and supported the preservation of Buddhist monasteries such as Takht-i-Bahi.
These investments speak to the long history and depth of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship and to our commitment to Pakistan’s people and its future.
At the same time, it is imperative that the United States and Pakistan continue working together to advance our shared goals of regional and global peace, stability, and security.
We must remain resolute in our fight against terrorism, and the United States and Pakistan share this understanding. Both our countries and our people have paid heavy costs due to terrorism. We commend Pakistan for its decades of cooperation in fighting terrorism, whether from TTP or other non-traditional security threats.
The United States has provided more than $1 billion to Pakistan’s federal and provincial institutions for justice and security projects in the past 40 years. Such initiatives have provided life-saving equipment to law enforcement, improved security infrastructure, and trained police, prosecutors, and judges around the country. These programs also help incorporate more women into the justice sector, building trust and access to often marginalized populations. We continue to look for opportunities to build this capacity and improve Pakistan’s capabilities to counter the threats it faces.
Pakistan and the United States share the goal of protecting refugees and asylum seekers and facilitating the efficient resettlement of eligible Afghans to the United States. We have been in close coordination with the Pakistani government on this important issue and will continue to work together in good faith.
Just as important, we continue to advocate for upholding the rights of all Pakistanis – especially the freedoms of expression, assembly, and worship – that are guaranteed in the country’s laws and constitution. Protecting human rights for all is not just a fundamental pillar of a democracy; it is a critical component of a vibrant and stable society, drawing on the talents and contributions of all its citizens for the country’s benefit. Without such stability, the prospects for investment and economic growth appear far less certain.
In closing, I want to emphasize this fact: we stand stronger together. And having been here as the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan for more than two years, it is even clearer to me that our countries must become even closer if the world is going to begin solving the challenges I outlined today.
I see one immediate opportunity to do just that. As you likely know, Pakistan will assume a seat on the UN Security Council starting next year. This tenure is an important opportunity for the United States and Pakistan to work together on all these issues. Pakistan is uniquely positioned to be a bridge at the UN given its positive relationships within the region and with the other members of the Security Council. Pakistan’s voice deserves to be heard, and the United States looks forward to working with its representatives to strengthen regional stability and to promote human rights and religious freedom for everyone.
As I said at the beginning of my remarks, this relationship is vital, and it has endured. And I trust it will continue to do so in the years ahead as we build on what we have accomplished and identify new areas for cooperation on these shared objectives.
Thank you for your time and I hope the conference discussions are fruitful.
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