16 April 2009
Friends of Democratic Pakistan and Pakistan Donors' Conference
I travel to Japan tonight, 16 April 2009, to attend the second Friends of Democratic Pakistan Ministerial Meeting and a Pakistan Donors' Conference in Tokyo, Japan on Friday 17 April.
The Friends of Democratic Pakistan meeting, hosted by Japan and chaired by Pakistan, will bring together more than 20 countries committed to assisting Pakistan to tackle its security, economic, social and development challenges.
I attended the inaugural Ministerial meeting, held in September 2008 in New York during the United Nations General Assembly.
The Friends Group includes the United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Turkey.
I look forward to discussing with the Friends group Pakistan's acute challenges and the best way for the international community to address these in an integrated and comprehensive manner.
The Pakistan Donors' Conference, co-chaired by Japan and the World Bank, will bring together more than 40 countries and international organisations. The Conference will discuss immediate financial support to Pakistan to overcome its urgent economic challenges, including growing poverty levels.
Pakistan is one of the world's most strategically important countries and vital to a range of Australian interests.
In particular, terrorism and extremism in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area have major regional and international security implications.
Australia and Pakistan enjoy a friendly, constructive relationship, underpinned by agricultural and trade ties, an expanding development cooperation partnership and growing people-to-people links, including 5000 students from Pakistan studying in Australia.
Media inquiries: Mr Smith's office 02 6277 7500 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555