ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday emphasised the need for urgent economic relief for poor countries dealing with this century’s “gravest challenge to humanity”.

Talking to Japanese Foreign Minister Toshi-mitsu Motegi over phone, Mr Qureshi said: “Without immediate, coordinated and comprehensive actions to create fiscal space, the developing world may have to contend with dire social, political and economic consequences.”

Mr Qureshi had called Mr Motegi as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach to promote Prime Minister Imran Khan’s global initiative on debt relief for mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economies of poor countries.

Pakistan is planning to convene a meeting at the United Nations of the countries interested in the initiative to generate support for a comprehensive solution of the debt problem of the poor countries.

A Foreign Office statement said the two ministers exchanged views about the socio-economic ramifications of the pandemic. Mr Qureshi apprised Mr Motegi about PM Khan’s initiative.

He thanked Japan for its assistance to Pakistan to combat the pandemic as well as in dealing with the desert locust attack, the FO said.

Japan is providing $7.41 million in assistance to Pakistan through an international organisation for technical support and procurement of medical supplies and equipment.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2020