Press Release: First EU-Pakistan Summit: Commission boosts humanitarian aid up to €72 M and supports strategic dialogue

The first ever EU-Pakistan Summit took place in Brussels on 17 June, 2009. The Summit was an opportunity to discuss, at the highest level, the strengthening of the EU-Pakistan partnership, the regional political situation, global issues and the world economy. Coinciding with this Summit, the European Commission decided to boost its emergency humanitarian funding to Pakistan from €7 million to €72 million to help the most vulnerable civilians displaced from the Swat valley and other trouble spots affected by the internal conflict in the country. The Commission was represented by President José Manuel Barroso, accompanied by Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Commissioner for Trade, Baroness Catherine Ashton. Pakistan was represented by President Asif Ali Zardari together with the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Commerce, and Interior.