RAWALPINDI, FEB 26 (DNA) – The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has organized “Business Africa Trade Forum” at a local hotel on Tuesday.

Addressing the inaugural session RCCI President Malik Shahid Saleem said that major aim of this Forum was to involve business community to explore new markets for exports and promoting trade ties with African Countries.

Africa, South and Latin America and Central Asian countries are the non-traditional markets for Pakistan’s exports and have huge potentials for enhancing of exports, he added.

There are Fifty-four African countries comprising over 1 billion population with huge potential for Pakistan to promote trade and exports, said RCCI President.

He suggested opening help desks at Chambers across Pakistan for information related to African markets. Also, he offered ambassadors to observe African day at Chamber house.

More than dozen ambassadors, high commissioners and Commercial Councilors including Ambassador of Egypt, Ahmed Fadel Yacoub, High Commissioner of Kenya Julius Kibet Bitok, Rashidally Soobader from Mauritius, Ambassador of Morocco Mohammed Karmoune, Ms Khadija Mohamad from Somalia, Adel Elarbi from Tunisia and Tageldin Eltahir of Sudan addressed the forum.

The envoys discussed the trade opportunities, scope of cooperation, exploring new sectors and addressing issues related to tariff, banking channels, transportation and possible sectors for investment and joint ventures.

They appreciated RCCI efforts for promoting trade and taking new initiatives for connecting trade ties. Africa is the second largest continent of the world with 54 sovereign states and and population 1.2 billion with collective GDP US$ 3.3 trillion and imports market of around US$ 500 billion, they added.

Representatives from government, additional foreign secretary on Africa  Dr. Ali Ahmed Arian, Joint Secretary Commerce Haris Haider, Saleem Ranjha from board of investment (BOI) also spoke on the occasion and highlighted key initiative to promote trade and business activities with African region.

Dr. Ali Ahmed said the government now have applied pragmatic and target base trade policy. Harris Haider informed that ministry now has opened six new commercial sections in African Countries.

The Forum was informed that Pakistan’s trade with African Countries stood around $3 billion whereas the total trade volume of Africa was around $1 trillion and urged private sector to come forward and take a lead here.

Senior Vice President Badar Haroon, Vice President Fayyaz Qureshi, former presidents, Members of the executive committee and a large number of traders from Pakistan attended the business forum.=DNA

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