Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for strong political will and global leadership to tackle the growing water crisis, which he described as an existential threat to nations. Addressing the ‘One Water Summit’ in Riyadh, he emphasized that water scarcity is one of the world’s most pressing challenges, requiring urgent action to protect rapidly depleting resources.
The prime minister warned that global water shortages are leading to widespread droughts and highlighted Pakistan’s own experience with the devastating 2022 floods. He underlined the importance of building more dams to prevent water wastage in the country.
Meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS)
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Shehbaz met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and lauded his Vision 2030 initiative and climate-related efforts. A statement from the PM Office described the meeting as warm and cordial, marking the fifth interaction between the two leaders in six months.
Both leaders agreed on the need to elevate the economic, trade, and investment partnership between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The crown prince emphasized fostering deeper cooperation to achieve economic growth and prosperity for Pakistan. They also expressed satisfaction with the progress on agreements and MoUs signed for Saudi investments in Pakistan.
PM Shehbaz renewed his invitation to MBS to visit Pakistan, to which the crown prince responded positively, expressing his anticipation for the visit.
Meeting with French President Macron
Separately, PM Shehbaz met with French President Emmanuel Macron during the summit. He commended France’s leadership in climate change and development issues and appreciated Macron’s support for Pakistan following the 2022 floods.
The leaders discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in agriculture, livestock, IT, skills development, and access to clean drinking water. PM Shehbaz encouraged French investments in Pakistan, particularly in renewable energy and climate adaptation projects.
The discussions also covered political, economic, trade, and multilateral cooperation. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of Pakistan-France relations and agreed to strengthen economic and trade ties while remaining engaged on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
