WASHINGTON, Oct 22: The United States and Pakistan agreed on Tuesday to strengthen their trade and encourage more US investments in the country.

An official US statement said that this understanding was reached in a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US Trade Representative Michael Froman.

The meeting focused on how to strengthen the trade and investment relationship between the United States and Pakistan. In 2012, two-way trade was valued at $5.2 billion.

Mr Froman and Prime Minister Sharif agreed that a strong United States-Pakistan trade relationship was “in our mutual interest, and vowed to work together to increase bilateral trade and investment”, the statement said.

Mr Froman cited the notable progress made in addressing trade and investment issues under the United States-Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and offered to host the next meeting of the TIFA Council in Washington.

In another meeting between the prime minister and US Energy Secretary Dr Ernest Moniz the United States assured Pakistan of continued support in meeting its energy requirements.

Ambassador Carlos Pascual, US Special Envoy for International Energy Cooperation; Elizabeth Littlefield, President of OPIC; Dr Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator and Deputy National Security Adviser Ms Caroline Atkinson also attended the meeting.

Both sides agreed to continue working closely in the energy sector through the existing mechanism of the Energy Working Group under the Strategic Dialogue. The next Energy Working Group meeting is expected to take place in mid-November in the United States.