France, Punjab to cooperate in agriculture sector: Shahbaz

[LahoreEstate]

French ambassador offers technical assistance in environment, water treatment, solid waste management, livestock and dairy development

Staff Report

LAHORE: There is a wide scope of mutual interest between France and Punjab in livestock, dairy development, agriculture, and other sectors, Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif said on Tuesday.

He was talking to French Ambassador to Pakistan Daniel Jouaneau during a meeting that was held to discuss matters of mutual interests and cooperation in various sectors.

Shahbaz said the Punjab government was paying full attention to waste management and the recycling of waste materials for energy generation. Negotiations were being held with a number of local and foreign companies in this regard, he added.

Agreement: Sharif said an agreement had been signed between the Punjab government and Beijing Environment Sanitation Engineering Group, under which the latter would provide advisory services regarding waste management and energy generation. The Chinese company would also provide experts, equipment and other facilities.

He said negotiations were underway with a French company for a water treatment plant. He said the Punjab government has provided a favourable atmosphere for foreign investment and possible facilities were being extended to entrepreneurs. He said local engineers could also be sent to France for joint ventures.

Jouaneau said he recently returned from France and the investors there had shown keen interest to invest in Pakistan. He said concrete steps would be taken for cooperation among various sectors between both the countries. He said Punjab was the biggest province of Pakistan and offered a wide range of investment opportunities.

Technical assistance: The ambassador also offered technical assistance in the sectors of environment, water treatment, solid waste management, livestock and dairy development. He said France was an agricultural country and had rich expertise in these sectors.

He said he had also visited and urged concerned universities to introduce farm management training courses in the province.

He said joint ventures launched between France and the Punjab government could promote trade and economic relations. Honorary Counsel General of France in Pakistan Ashiq Hussain Qureshi, Task Force Chairman Haroon Khawaja, former MNA Pervez Malik and his wife, Planning and Development chairman, LDA director general, Housing secretary and Commerce secretary were also present at the meeting.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_28