ISLAMABAD, APR 26 (DNA) – Ambassador of Spain Carlos Morales has said Spanish companies are doing business in Pakistan in retailing, food processing, technical machinery, electrical appliances, iron and steel products, air traffic control, infrastructure and defence related contracts.

He further said, with GSP+ Pakistan’s exports to Spain soared by 43% in 2014, 22% in 2015 and 6.7% in 2016. Spain he said is the 3rd biggest market for Pakistan’s exports in the EU, up by 6.7% in 2016 to 832.5 million euros.

The ambassador added, Pakistan exports to Spain include men and women’s garments, household textiles and linen, cotton products, leather manufactures and have seen a marked improvement.

Spain exports to Pakistan, machines and industrial equipment and products, communication and radars, ceramic products, zinc and alloys, pharmaceutical and chemical products and olive oil.

He said in that there are some areas which have vast potential for both countries that   include Infrastructure (transportation and energy), Construction and construction materials, Urban Planning and management, Auto parts, Marble, Machinery, Pharmaceutical products, Food products, Water (water treatment, agriculture, irrigation systems, Health (technology and hospital equipment and health management) and Information Technology

Spain is a 3rd worldwide tourist destination and over 75 million tourists visited Spain in 2016 while it is 3rd worldwide in UNESCO heritage sites (44).

Spanish language is the second most-spoken native language in the world, second most studied foreign language and third most used language on the Internet.

Spain he added happens to be a high consumer market with a population of 46 million people is strategically located as a trade and financial hub for Europe, North Africa and Latin America.

Spanish companies are world leaders in renewable energies, transport management and infrastructure, roads, railways and airports, tourism industry.

Spanish companies are also handling leading projects in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf like  Mecca-Medina high speed railway, Riyadh’s underground system or the Sidra Health Research Centre for women and children in Doha, he added.

He said Spain happens to be the 13^th largest economy in the world (GDP 1.4 trillion US dollars) similar to Australia and Korea and is the 4^th largest economy in Euro area.

The per capita income of Spain is over 35,000 USD which is equal to Italy while Spain is the 11^th largest investor in the world and 2^nd largest investor in Latin America.

Spanish companies are involved in 73% of world’s solar thermal energy projects while it is 1st in the world in solar thermal installed capacity (2250 MW), 5th largest producer of wind power, with a year-end installed capacity of 23.000 MW in 2015. DNA

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