VIENNA: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will make a historic visit to Austria starting Sunday, the first by a Pakistani premier in 34 years since the last visit in 1992, the country’s ambassador said.
Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Pakistan's Ambassador to Austria Mohammad Kamran Akhtar said the visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, established in 1956.
"There has been a sort of communication gap between Pakistan and one of the most important countries of European Union," Akhtar said. "It might not be a large country, but it is very significant in terms of being the capital of international diplomacy, multilateralism and international negotiations."
Bilateral meetings and economic engagement
PM Sharif will meet the Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker for private talks followed by bilateral delegation-level meetings covering issues on the agenda between the two countries, according to the ambassador.
The schedule includes a CEO forum co-chaired by PM Sharif and Stocker, bringing together leadership from Pakistani and Austrian companies already doing business in Pakistan.
"The Chancellor of Austria, since he will be co-chairing, that sends a very strong signal in Austria's interest in increasing its economic collaboration with Pakistan," the ambassador said.
In the afternoon, PM Sharif will chair a larger business forum before proceeding to UN premises in Vienna, where he will deliver a keynote address at an event on sustainable development.
UN agencies and development programs
Vienna hosts three UN agencies critical to Pakistan: the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Kamran Akhtar said Pakistan maintains active country programs with all three agencies, benefiting from IAEA technical cooperation in peaceful nuclear power generation, cancer diagnostic and treatment, and development of climate-resistant crop varieties.
He stated that UNIDO assists Pakistan with industrial development and the transition to low-carbon energy pathways, while UNODC provides capacity building and technical assistance for addressing drug-related challenges from Afghanistan.
The ambassador revealed that during the current visit, Pakistan will sign a new country program with UNODC covering 2026 to 2030.
Education opportunities for Pakistani students
On education cooperation, the ambassador said approximately 400 Pakistani PhD students have completed their studies in Austria since the Higher Education Commission launched its program in 2012.
Currently, around 500 Pakistani students study at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels across Austrian universities, primarily in science, technology and engineering fields.
The Pak-Austria Fachhochschule in Haripur was established in collaboration with 11 Austrian tertiary institutions and five Chinese institutions. A new branch is planned for Sialkot.
The ambassador said Austrian public universities charge nominal fees, making study affordable for Pakistani students who achieve C1-level proficiency in German. He added that Austria faces an acute shortage of trained manpower, and Pakistani students who perform well can secure employment in the Austrian economy.
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