Islamabad, July 17, 2026: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, held a high-level meeting with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Pakistan, Alexandra Berg von Linde, to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security, livestock, research, innovation, and sustainable development.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to transforming the long-standing friendly relations between Pakistan and Sweden into a stronger and more practical partnership in the agricultural sector.
Welcoming the Swedish Ambassador, the Federal Minister said Pakistan attaches great importance to its friendly relations with Sweden and is keen to further expand bilateral cooperation in agriculture and related sectors. He noted that despite the excellent political relations between the two countries, cooperation in agriculture has yet to reach its full potential, adding that significant opportunities exist for collaboration. He expressed confidence that stronger institutional linkages and sustained engagement would open new avenues for mutual cooperation.
Rana Tanveer Hussain appreciated Sweden’s global leadership in sustainable agriculture, agricultural innovation, food security, livestock development, and climate-resilient farming systems. He also acknowledged the valuable contributions of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in strengthening global capacities and said Pakistan looks forward to benefiting from Sweden’s expertise, training programmes, and technical knowledge.
The meeting also focused on strengthening collaboration between the relevant institutions of both countries. The Federal Minister proposed enhanced cooperation in research, exchange of technical delegations, academic partnerships, and institutional linkages between the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and Swedish research institutions. He said such collaboration would facilitate the transfer of modern technologies, research expertise, and best practices, contributing to the modernization of Pakistan’s agricultural sector.
Both sides emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in food security and food safety. They discussed opportunities for collaboration in improving food quality standards, safe food processing, adoption of advanced technologies, reducing post-harvest losses, and promoting value addition. The Federal Minister welcomed Swedish support in these areas, noting that such cooperation would strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural exports and enhance national food security.
Rana Tanveer Hussain reiterated that the Government of Pakistan is committed to modernizing the agricultural sector through innovation, advanced technologies, sustainable development, and active private sector participation. He invited Swedish companies to invest in agriculture, food processing, dairy, post-harvest management, value addition, and other related sectors, stating that such investments would contribute to economic growth, employment generation, and increased agricultural exports.
Cooperation in the livestock sector also featured prominently during the meeting. Both sides agreed to enhance collaboration in animal health, dairy development, food safety, and sustainable livestock production, emphasizing that joint efforts would improve productivity, strengthen rural economies, and reinforce national food security.
The issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was also discussed in detail. The Swedish Ambassador encouraged the Federal Minister to formally pursue Pakistan’s membership in the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, in recognition of the country’s national efforts to address the challenge. She noted that Pakistan’s participation would also strengthen the representation of the Eastern Mediterranean Region at the global level.
The Federal Minister welcomed the proposal and said Pakistan would move forward with the nomination process and play an active role on the global platform. He informed the Ambassador that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the Ministry of National Health Services, and the Ministry of Climate Change are working jointly under a national strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Both sides also underscored the importance of the One Health approach, recognizing that antimicrobial resistance poses a shared challenge to human health, animal health, and the environment. They agreed on the need to promote the responsible use of antibiotics, strengthen public awareness, and further enhance regulatory frameworks.
The Swedish Ambassador also highlighted the positive contribution of Swedish companies operating in Pakistan, particularly in food processing, safe dairy packaging, and sustainable textiles. Both sides agreed that the experience of these companies provides a strong foundation for expanding economic and agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Pakistan and Sweden reaffirmed their commitment to promoting agricultural cooperation through sustained dialogue, stronger institutional partnerships, increased investment, collaborative research, and knowledge exchange. Both sides expressed confidence that enhanced cooperation would contribute significantly to agricultural modernization, food security, innovation, sustainable development, and the further strengthening of bilateral relations.
