Private sector urged to explore African market

Envoy-designate says Pakistan needs to make efforts to create space in region

ISLAMABAD:

Africa provides a huge opportunity to Pakistan for goods export and the private sector should focus on the African region for promoting trade, said High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan to Rwanda Amir Muhammad Khan.

During a meeting with Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, he said that Rwanda was enjoying an important location in the African region and by forging close business cooperation with it Pakistan could get easy access to the huge African market.

He stressed the need for developing government-togovernment and business-tobusiness relations between the two countries to take trade and economic ties to higher levels.

He said that he was posted in Tanzania as Pakistan’s ambassador and it also offered great opportunities, therefore, the business community should explore its market.

He said that China and India had increased their presence in the African region to tap its business potential and emphasised that Pakistan should also make strenuous efforts to create space for it in Africa. 

Speaking on the occasion, the ICCI president said that Pakistan neglected Africa for business relations since long due to which other countries were capturing its market.

However, he said that the current government was focusing on the Look Africa policy, which would help the private sector to gain better penetration into the African region.

He pointed out that the overall trade volume in the African region stood at $1 trillion, out of which Pakistan’s share was only $3 billion mainly due to a lack of connectivity.