KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan and Myanmar on Monday agreed to bolster bilateral ties in the economy, trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, and other sectors, in addition to strengthening government-to-government cooperation.

The agreement was reached during talks in Islamabad between Pakistan's top diplomat, Ishaq Dar, and his Myanmar counterpart, Than Swe.

According to a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across multiple areas, including religious tourism as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, intending to promote shared prosperity.

They also shared views on regional and international peace and security and agreed to remain in close contact on matters of mutual interest.

Myanmar’s foreign minister arrived in Islamabad late Saturday for a rare four-day official visit to Pakistan.

Addressing a joint press stakeout in Islamabad, Dar stated that the two countries have "great" potential to increase bilateral cooperation in trade, business, agriculture, culture, and people-to-people contacts.

Referring to several revered Buddhist sites in Pakistan, he said the two countries can explore ways to improve religious and conventional tourism.

Than Swe, for his part, invited Pakistani business leaders to invest and benefit from Myanmar's business-friendly policies.

The two sides also inked a memorandum of understanding to further strengthen cooperation between their respective foreign ministries.

The current trade volume between Pakistan and Myanmar stands at around $70 million, with a trade imbalance favoring Myanmar.

The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1947 following their respective independence, with both nations operating embassies in each other's capitals since 1988.

The last high-level visit from Myanmar to Pakistan took place in Jan. 2022, when Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint visited Islamabad.