Pakistan and Azerbaijan have agreed to enhance the ratio of the Pakistani workforce in Azerbaijan. This was decided in an online meeting between Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development of Pakistan Sajid Hussain Turi and Minister of Labour and Social Security of Azerbaijan, Sahil Babayev. Sajid Husain said the memorandum of understanding between the two countries on cooperation in the fields of labour employment and social security had been signed and now was the time to implement it.  “Pakistan is looking forward to its implementation for channelizing the flow of Pakistani manpower to Azerbaijan.” He said that both countries had always enjoyed brotherly relations and would be further strengthened through mutual cooperation and understanding in various fields.

The minister expressed the need to convene the first meeting of the Joint Working Group, constituted under the memorandum of understanding, as soon as possible. Pakistan fully supported Azerbaijan in the formation of the Labour Centre of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and would sign and ratify its statute once the concurrence of the relevant stakeholders was received, he added. Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of Azerbaijan, Sahil Babayev said that both the countries enjoy good political relations, but coordination on social and economic aspects need further improvement.

He said that Azerbaijan was developing rapidly and it needed skilled manpower to complete various developmental projects. Azerbaijan would like to learn from Pakistan’s experience in the field of manpower export and requested the Pakistani side to extend its support in signing the OIC Labour Center Statue, he added. Sahil Babayev extended an invitation to his Pakistani counterpart to visit Baku to deliberate further on the subject, which was accepted. He also expressed his sympathies for the flood victims in Pakistan. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Irfan Hayee and senior officials from both sides attended the meeting.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk