Neglected: Pakistan has only 1% share in African markets

FCCI suggests setting up special desks in embassies to explore export potential

FAISALABAD: The share of Pakistan’s export products in African countries is hardly 1%, which underscores the need for taking immediate steps to widen the foothold, said Engineer Ahmed Hassan, Vice President of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).

Chairing a meeting of the FCCI Standing Committee on Liaison with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Hassan noted that the government through TDAP was making strenuous efforts to increase exports and similarly, the FCCI was also striving to play its role in enhancing exports from Faisalabad.

Despite limited resources, he pointed out, the FCCI had arranged many foreign trips for trade delegations, providing an opportunity for its members to explore the potential of international markets.

He said China was switching over from labour-intensive to hi-tech industries, which would create a vacuum, especially in African markets, and Pakistan could easily bridge the gap.

“This is a new opportunity and the government should take exporters into confidence to help fill this gap,” he said.

However, Hassan pointed out that India had already started activities in that respect and had set up special desks in all Indian embassies working in African states.

Pakistan, he suggested, should also establish such desks that could explore the available potential and help exporters capitalise on the opportunities. He asked the exporters to also launch joint ventures with Chinese exporters to make a reasonable room for Pakistani products in the African markets. He pressed the TDAP to review its strategy in an attempt to give a quantum jump to exports of traditional as well as non-traditional products.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2017.

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