20000216

France to make huge

investment in oil, gas

exploration: Gilles

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Consul General of France in Karachi, Gilles Bonnaug, on Tuesday said that his country would make huge investment in oil and gas exploration activities in Pakistan and for this purpose a French company had joined hand with a local company.

He was addressing a press conference onboard MV Grouse at Port Qasim on the occasion of handing over of 7000 tonnes of wheat gifted by France to Pakistan under the World Food Programme (WFP).

The wheat was received by the Deputy Secretary of Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Tahawwar Hussain, on behalf of the Pakistan government. Also present on the occasion were Daniel Owen, Programme Advisor, World Food Programme (WFP); Mushtaq Qazi, Director General Food, and French Commercial Counsellor Janpierre Finibbi.

The consul general said that France had already invested in different sectors in Pakistan such as biscuits, telecommunications, aviation and food and dairy. He said that this was the first donation of wheat from France under WFP and hoped that further food donations would be made in future.

He said that in addition to extensive cooperation in economic field, France was also helping Pakistan in discovery of ancient civilisation. For this purpose four French archaeological teams were working in Sindh and Balochistan.

Tahawwar Hussain said that the WFP would give 30,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Pakistan this year for use in developing activities of and feeding Afghan refugees. The Pakistan government will sell this wheat and the proceeds will be used for development activities.

He said that the new government was taking all measures for the development of agriculture and was providing loans and machinery to the farmers to boost export of rice, cotton and fruits and vegetables.

Addressing the press conference, Daniel Owen, said that the WFP brought into Pakistan 48,000 tonnes of food worth 12 million dollars in 1999 to support projects focusing on primary education for girls, basic health care for expectant mothers and natural resources management.

She said that the WFP provided food aid as an incentive to increase attendance by pregnant women at rural health centres and young girls at primary schools. About 50,000 girls in 20 poor districts regularly attend 900 primary schools with support from WFP and some 200,000 mothers and expectant women regularly visit the 700 participating health centres.