Pak-Sudan trade: Businessmen invited to invest

Ambassador says Sudan lacks technology to make headway.

LAHORE:

Sudanese Ambassador in Pakistan Mohammad Omer Musa has invited Pakistani businessmen to make investments in Sudan, saying that its strategic location in the African region and business-friendly policies are compelling international investors to the city.

Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Saturday, the ambassador said despite Sudan making heading way in raw cotton, it had failed to make any advancement in this sector, due to non-availability of modern technology.

He added that if Pakistani businessmen made investments in this sector, both countries could earn major amounts in foreign exchange.

According to him, besides textiles, sectors including pharmaceutical, transport, power generation, solar energy and construction, have a lot of potential for Pakistani businessmen.

He also called for early establishment of Joint Business Council to speed up exchange of trade-related information.

LCCI President Shahzad Ali Malik said that to identify ways to increase cooperation between the two countries, commodity wise trade trends, must be observed.

Pakistan’s exports to Sudan consist of salt, sulphur, articles of iron and steel, pharmaceutical products and textile articles. While, imports consist of leather, raw hides and skins, cotton, iron and steel.

To increase trade, he said, both countries should also concentrate on new items of trade, in addition to existing ones.





Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2011.