Many French brands use 'Pakistani textiles'

KARACHI:

Many of the famous French clothing brands are using Pakistani textiles and his country is “very happy” with this, said Paris’ envoy to the country in an exclusive conversation with The Express Tribune.

French Ambassador to Pakistan H.E Nicolas Galey shared his experiences of living in Pakistan with host and journalist Fatima Zaidi.

"We want to develop the number of French companies working and trading with Pakistan,” said Galey as he expanded on the benefits of Pakistan’s GSP+ status.

The envoy maintained that the scheme favoured Pakistani exports considerably in certain fields, particularly its fundamental industry -- textiles.

He added that the initiative had increased Pakistan’s exports to France by major proportions.

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Galey further told the host that during his current trip to Karachi, he visited existing French brands working in the country and Peugeot was the only European car manufacturer operating in Pakistan.

The French ambassador also laid emphasis on cooperation in the field of agriculture as Pakistan was the fifth largest producer of milk globally.

He added that it was certainly a sector where the economic relationship between the two countries could develop.

The envoy said his country and Pakistan shared a deep and historical bilateral relationship.

He elaborated France's efforts to further develop cultural, economic and social ties with the South Asian nation.

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When asked about the bilateral political relationship, Galey said the two countries had a lot of cooperation in the international organisations and on climate-related issues.

“Both sides are determined to work on these issues and many other ones,” he continued.

The French ambassador also expanded on prospects for Pakistani students, who want to pursue various disciplines in his country.

"There is a new impetus [in] Pakistani students going to France and there were not many of them in the past,” he pointed out.

He said language should not be a problem for Pakistani students wishing to study in France as many disciplines were offered in English.

Answering a question by the host regarding the best subjects to pursue in French educational institutes and the initiatives taken by its embassy to facilitate the visa process for students, Galey replied that all disciplines were taught in his country’s universities and there were fields of excellence that France was well known for, especially science.

“But if you want to study history or archaeology, we have a very good offer in this regard also,” he added.

The envoy further said his government offered scholarships and encouraged Pakistani students to apply for them.

"There is a specific visa process for students and we are trying our best to accommodate in terms of timeframes ... but the students who have been accepted and those with scholarships, they are fast-tracked," he explained while responding to the second part of the query.

The French ambassador also expressed his liking of Pakistani cuisine and said it was part of his journey of discovery in the country.