ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday launched Foreign Office’s new website — ‘VisionFO’ — as part of a project for digitisation and enhanced e-governance.

After launching the new website at a ceremony that was attended by foreign diplomats, digitisation experts and foreign ministry officials, the foreign minister said that the project would take the FO into 21st century and to the heart of digital communications.

“#VisionFO is a mindset to craft an environment of thought leadership at #MoFA, to promote a macro vision, digital landscape and an evolved/transparent way of comms. The 1st manifestation of the vision is the launch of the new website with a series of more innovations to follow,” he said.

Mr Qureshi said at a new cell phone application ‘FM Connect’ was being launched to involve all officers of the ministry in the consultations for “policy making”. “This will enable all officers to express their views independently and without any restriction,” he said.

FM Connect will also be used to engage with different stakeholders, including think tanks, academia and media persons for an effective foreign policy formulation.

Pakistani missions in important world capitals were also being linked with the headquarters through video link, he said, adding that e-office system was also being introduced at the FO.

The foreign minister emphasised optimum utilisation of available tools and facilities for improving execution of foreign policy.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2019