Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Nicolas Galey has reaffirmed his country’s commitment towards continuous support for Pakistan as “France has strong, deep-rooted relations with Pakistan spanning over decades and in almost all spheres ranging from economy to education, health to industry and energy to defence.” The ambassador expressed these views while delivering a welcome speech at a reception marking the National Day (Bastille Day) of France. Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman was the chief guest on the occasion. Senator Talha Mehmood, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Naz Baloch also attended the event.
The reception turned out to be a huge get-together of noted personalities, parliamentarians, diplomats, members of civil society, educationists, HR activists and officials of the government and the armed forces.
It was almost in twenty years’ time that the French national day was being celebrated at the residence of the Ambassador of France inside the Diplomatic Enclave and the guests were therefore happy to be ‘in France’ enjoying the traditional French hospitality though for a few hours.
Ambassador Nicolas Galey and his beautiful wife Camelia Galey had taken great pains to make the event successful and despite the rain in the evening, exemplary arrangements were made on the spacious lawn of the embassy and inside the hall for the guests to socialize with one another and enjoy the music and cuisine.
While welcoming the guests, Ambassador Galey said France was celebrating the historic storming of Bastille that took place on July 14, some 234 years ago (1789) and since then the day is celebrated as an occasion to emphasize universal values of freedom, human rights and respect for humanity.
Although the spirit of Bastille is intact yet still we see a big challenge facing the world from the Russian aggression against Ukraine, he said adding time has come that we should give a call of solidarity and stand by Ukraine. Ambassador Galey also referred to President Macron and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meetings in UN as well as Paris. In September 2022 at the UN General Assembly in New York, the French President wished to show France’s full solidarity with Pakistan after the tragic floods during the summer, and last month in Paris at the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact, our two leaders spoke in support of a fairer and more efficient financial system capable of benefiting both to development and the protection of our planet, he said. France welcomes the recent agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to enable Pakistan to meet its economic challenges.
From the EU platform, too, France supports GSP+ status for Pakistan of which the country is the largest beneficiary, he said. The French Ambassador also mentioned the recent cooperation between the French and the Pakistani universities. Due to the partnership, the number of the Pakistani students going to the French universities has significantly increased, he said.
Sherry Rehman while congratulating the ambassador on the national day held Pakistan valued relations with France. The world she said was moving towards a complex situation with Europe facing the Ukraine crisis. Besides challenges like pandemic, global warming, climate change adaptation and mitigation are posing serious threats to the food security and infrastructure of especially the third world nations. President Macron, she said, has been a strong voice to support the cause of the countries adversely-devastated by natural disasters and Pakistan being one such victim is thankful to him for that.
