First-ever visit: Danish businessmen to fish for trade avenues

Ambassador, industry players discuss business potential.

KARACHI:

Ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan Jesper Moller Sorensen has said the first-ever delegation of Danish businessmen will come on a visit to Pakistan next month to explore trade opportunities between the two countries.

He stated this here on Friday during a meeting with office-bearers of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) – one of the biggest industrial zones in Karachi.

Sorensen said the Danish government was eager to enhance the trade volume between the two countries, which was $400 million. Since Pakistan was a country of 200 million people, the opportunities to boost trade were enormous, he said.

Denmark has already allocated about $50 million for various support programmes in Pakistan, especially for education and clean water.

“To promote commercial activities, the Danish embassy has hired two senior commercial officers,” he said, adding there was vast potential for investment in energy, shipping and health care industries.

“We have very liberal trade policies and our government earnestly believes in making business,” said the ambassador. “We are planning to select certain Pakistani companies for exploring business opportunities and are eager to move into a new era of business.”

KATI President Syed Farrukh Mazhar said Danish investors could take advantage of the vast opportunities of investment in Pakistan.

He appreciated the steps taken by the Danish envoy for improving relations between the two countries, especially with respect to trade. “There is a lot of potential for direct investment by Danish companies as returns are quite lucrative.”

KATI’s Diplomatic Affairs Committee Chairman Masood Naqi stressed the need for exchange of trade delegations for strengthening business ties and said stronger relations were necessary for developing trade relations over the long term.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2014.

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