Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday, Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan Greg Giokas pointed to the sectors that hold huge potential for cooperation. Of these, livestock and agriculture are the two areas in which cooperation can lead to a win-win situation for the two countries.
“Education and economic development are key components for Pakistan’s competitiveness in a globalised economy,” he stressed.
The high commissioner said Canada pursued a broad range of interests in relations with Pakistan including trade and investment, development cooperation, people-to-people links, regional security and defence, governance and human rights.
He welcomed the improvement in economic and political relations between Pakistan and India, terming it critical to regional security and the economic future of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI Senior Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh was of the view that bilateral trade statistics were not satisfactory and there was room for enhancing the trade volume to new levels. A little effort focusing on selected sectors could take trade to around $2 billion in the next few years, he said.
The target can be achieved through exchange of businessmen delegations, organising single country exhibitions, participation in fairs and exhibitions, seminars, workshops, etc and involvement of diplomatic missions.
According to Sheikh, main sectors of interest for Canadian businesses could be power and energy, agri-food, food processing equipment and technology and telecoms.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 16th, 2013.
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