Brazil offers assistance to Pakistan in clean energy, agriculture

Pakistan can improve economy by stepping up cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Brazil Ambassador Claudio Raja Gabaglia Lins has offered Pakistan cooperation in producing renewable energy and improving agricultural productivity as the South American nation has made rapid progress in these areas.

“Brazil is meeting 42% of its energy needs through renewable resources and is ready to help Pakistan generate energy through wind, solar, ethanol, biomass and other sources,” the ambassador said.

Apart from clean energy, Brazil has achieved robust growth in the agriculture and livestock sector.

The envoy was speaking to the business community at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI).

Brazil was the seventh largest economy of the world and the second largest in Latin America, he said and suggested that Pakistan could achieve better results for its economy by ramping up cooperation with the South American country.

He noted that many Pakistani products had an excellent potential in the Brazilian market and businessmen should step up efforts for trade promotion.

He cited increased direct contacts between private sectors of the two countries as the best approach to explore all untapped areas for potential cooperation.

The envoy assured businessmen that his embassy would provide all possible support in the search for business opportunities in Brazil.

Earlier, ICCI President Khalid Iqbal Malik revealed that Brazil’s trade with the world stood at $369 billion in 2015 with exports valuing $191 billion, but its trade with Pakistan was worth a mere $300 million.

“This is not commensurate with the real potential of both countries, which are doing trade in limited goods; they should focus on trade diversification to achieve better results,” he said.

Malik insisted that many Pakistani products such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, sports goods and agro-products including basmati rice, pulses, fruits and vegetables could find a good market in Brazil and the embassy should play its role in highlighting their potential to Brazilian consumers.

He highlighted poultry meat, agricultural machinery, orange juice, tea, spices, coffee, auto parts, leather goods, granites, electrical appliances and handicrafts as other potential areas of mutual cooperation.

He asked the two sides to encourage frequent exchange of trade delegations and organise single-country exhibitions to push bilateral trade and economic relations up to the real potential.

Malik also briefed the ambassador about the investment opportunities in various sectors of Pakistan’s economy and urged him to persuade Brazilian investors to visit Pakistan for seeking business and investment opportunities in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and other areas of interest.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2016.

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