A senior international delegation from Coca-Cola visited Islamabad on Monday to further strengthen the company’s relationship with its vast network of partners and the Pakistani government. The Coca-Cola leadership team met with US Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E Donald Blome, along with leaders from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Trade department to discuss ways to bolster the Pakistani economy, particularly in light of the recent flood rehabilitation needs. This visit follows a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Coca-Cola and USAID to upscale the rehabilitation of flood-impacted provinces.
Sinan Cem Sahin, Vice President of Public Affairs, Communication, and Sustainability at The Coca-Cola Company Eurasia Middle East, emphasized the company’s commitment to Pakistan, saying, “We have been part of Pakistan’s social fabric, its journey, and its success story for several decades now. Our priority now is to collectively recover from the post-flood devastation through strong economic development. In line with our purpose, we will continue to support communities through multiple areas.”
Coca-Cola supports this goal by improving access to clean drinking water, enhancing food programs, and rebuilding communities in a climate-resistant way. The company’s commitment to Pakistan is evident, with Coca-Cola Pakistan and anchor bottler Coca-Cola İçecek contributing approximately 3 percent to the GDP of the country and employing about a million Pakistanis along the chain.
The Coca-Cola delegation also held meetings with Tariq Pasha, Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Revenue, Asad Rehman Gillani, Federal Secretary, Board of Investment, and other key decision-makers to discuss current macro-economic challenges, investment timelines, and policies.
At an event commemorating the giving month of Ramadan, Servet Yıldırım, Coca-Cola İçecek Chief Corporate Affairs, and Sustainability Officer emphasized the cultural ties between Turkey and Pakistan. He said, “As a Turkish entity, we feel our business goals are built not just on mutual trust but also on deep-rooted cultural ties. As both nations struggle with natural disasters, the private sector has a great role to play in economic stabilization.”
Coca-Cola also honored ten sustainability NGO partners at the event for their contributions to women empowerment, flood relief, food security, water replenishment, and World Without Waste initiatives. The partners, including CARE International, Water Aid, Indus Earth Trust, Rizq Foundation, National Incubation Centre, ECO, Karachi Port Trust, Boond-e-Shams, and WWF-Pakistan, were awarded certificates of appreciation by Coca-Cola.
Together with its partners, the company’s nationwide community programs in Pakistan have served over 7 million people in the last few years. Coca-Cola’s focus on women empowerment, flood relief, and water replenishment aims to provide sustainable solutions for the country’s socio-economic challenges.
The visit of the Coca-Cola delegation to Islamabad highlights the company’s commitment to Pakistan and its efforts to support the country’s economic development and recovery from natural disasters. By partnering with NGOs and the government, Coca-Cola is working to build a more sustainable future for the people of Pakistan.
