ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Norway have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in key areas, including trade, investment, climate change, renewable energy, education and people-to-people contacts during delegation-level talks in Islamabad.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide held delegation-level talks in Islamabad on Thursday, reviewing the full spectrum of bilateral relations and exploring avenues to expand cooperation in key areas.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the talks focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, climate change, renewable energy, education, maritime affairs and people-to-people contacts.
The two sides also exchanged views on important regional and international developments and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Both countries appreciated the important role of the Pakistani community in Norway and agreed to further strengthen people-to-people ties. The two sides expressed satisfaction over the longstanding and cordial relations between Pakistan and Norway and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Norwegian foreign minister also appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role during the recent Iran-US conflict. He praised the leadership and contributions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 and H.E. Mr. Espen Barth Eide @EspenBarthEide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, led delegation-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both sides reviewed the whole gamut… pic.twitter.com/2yrfD8Lm0b
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 13, 2026
Trade and economic cooperation also remain an important component of Pakistan-Norway relations. Norway provides Pakistan preferential market access under its Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) system, under which Pakistani goods receive tariff reductions ranging from 10 to 100 percent when imported into Norway, according to the Pakistani Embassy in Oslo.
Norway is also a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), along with Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Pakistan and EFTA member states signed a declaration in 2012 aimed at promoting economic cooperation.
Pakistan is currently undertaking a feasibility exercise for a possible Free Trade Agreement with EFTA, which could provide further opportunities for trade and investment between the two sides.
Also Read: Norway meeting: Baloch activist exposes BYC-RAW nexus
The Foreign Office said the Norwegian foreign minister’s visit would provide an opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding and friendly relations between Pakistan and Norway and explore new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
