Accord on pursuing more talks on APTTCA

Islamabad, Kabul concludes discussion on transit trade

ISLAMABAD:

A three-day meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) concluded on Thursday, with both the sides agreeing to pursue talks aimed at renewing the bilateral transit trade agreement, according to an official statement issued here on Thursday.

A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting, said that both sides held constructive talks for the renewal of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement and a bilateral preferential trade agreement.

According to the statement, the two sides reviewed the proposed draft agreement in detail. “The parties agreed to continue talks to renew the agreement,” it said, adding that the date and the venue of the next meeting would be decided by consensus.

The meeting also discussed a bilateral preferential trade agreement. It was also agreed in the meeting that both sides would sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the bilateral cooperation in the railways sector.

The 8th meeting of APTTCA was held in Islamabad from December 28 to 30, 2020. In addition to the talks on APTTA, the constructive discussions were also held on Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and proposed sustenance markets.

An MoU on railway cooperation was also discussed. The Afghanistan delegation was led by Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan Nisar Ahmad Faizi Ghoryani.

During the visit, the Afghan Minister had meetings with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Private Sector of Pakistan.

The 8th APTTCA meeting was jointly inaugurated by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood and Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan Nisar Ahmad Faizi Ghoryani.

The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary of Pakistan Ministry of Commerce Muhammad Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui, Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hashmatullah Ghafoori.

Texts of the proposed drafts were earlier exchanged and discussed in the meeting between the two sides. This would be followed by next meeting in on a mutually agreed date and place to make further progress.