ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Jawad Sohrab Malik discussed potential collaborations to facilitate the migration of skilled manpower from Pakistan to Greece.

Mr Malik had a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Social Security of Greece Mr Adonis Georgiadis in Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of a Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC) being held in Riyadh.

He assured that Pakistan had a skilled and experienced workforce, especially in the construction sector, to cater to the needs of Greece in this specific field.

The meeting focused on a keen interest in enhancing cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) employing a government-to-government (G2G) framework, says a statement released by the ministry of overseas Pakistanis and human resource development.

One of the key points of discussion centred around addressing Greece’s current demand for skilled labour in the construction industry. According to Greece’s Minister for Labour, the country is in need of approximately 500,000 skilled workers in the construction sector. The PM special assistant briefed the Greek delegation about the availability and priority of the Pakistani government to export skilled manpower to Greece and other countries experiencing a workforce shortage.

The proposed collaboration will go a long way towards benefiting both nations by facilitating the export of skilled Pakistani workers to meet the growing demand in Greece. This initiative aligns with the vision of the Pakistani government to actively contribute to the global workforce and strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with friendly nations.

The ministry of overseas Pakistanis remains committed to fostering partnerships that promote international cooperation and facilitate the exchange of expertise and skills between nations, the minister said.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2023