The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Business (FPCCI) hosted the primary Pak-Africa Roundtable Convention, chaired by FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh.
The convention featured detailed discussions on selling commerce, funding, financial cooperation, and enterprise ties between Pakistan and African nations.
Ambassadors, Excessive Commissioners, and Consuls Normal from numerous African international locations—together with Morocco, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia—attended the occasion.
Addressing the convention, Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of FPCCI, highlighted that the FPCCI is actively working to spice up financial actions with African nations and can proceed to play its function in solidifying commerce relations.
He acknowledged that the African area holds immense significance for Pakistan, as mirrored in present authorities insurance policies, and that the FPCCI will function a bridge between the enterprise communities of either side.
Sheikh confused the necessity to improve business-to-business (B2B) and chamber-to-chamber connections to hyperlink Pakistan with the African market. He recognized huge alternatives for funding and job creation, including that Africa’s rising economies will play a vital function sooner or later international financial system. He highlighted key Pakistani sectors—together with agriculture, prescribed drugs, minerals and mining, expertise, meals, and infrastructure—that provide important commerce and funding potential in Africa, emphasizing that each areas ought to leverage their giant populations, assets, and expansive markets.
The FPCCI President famous that over fifty international locations within the African area maintain strategic worth for Pakistan. Sensible measures are wanted to solidify financial ties, and the FPCCI stays dedicated to increasing commerce relations and exploring new enterprise avenues.
Further Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Affairs Hamid Asghar Khan acknowledged that Pakistan assigns particular significance to selling commerce and financial cooperation with African nations, noting that strengthening financial hyperlinks with Africa is a high precedence of Pakistan’s international coverage.
He emphasised that Pakistan desires to additional increase mutually useful financial partnerships with African international locations, the place the non-public sector and enterprise neighborhood play a pivotal function.
He inspired the Pakistani enterprise neighborhood to completely capitalize on the alternatives out there in African markets, including that the Authorities of Pakistan will present all potential facilitation to foster commerce and funding. Khan famous that coordinated diplomatic and industrial efforts are required to reinforce Pak-Africa ties, praising the FPCCI Roundtable Convention as a big step ahead.
The Ambassador of Zimbabwe acknowledged that Zimbabwe seeks to advertise commerce and funding with Pakistan, noting huge potential to extend bilateral commerce quantity by means of direct enterprise neighborhood linkages.
Ethiopian Ambassador Omer Hussein Oba remarked that sturdy B2B connections and chamber-to-chamber cooperation may considerably enhance mutual commerce. He highlighted alternatives for collaboration in agriculture, business, minerals, and expertise, including that Ethiopia can function a gateway for Pakistani companies into African markets.
The Ambassador of Sudan recommended FPCCI’s initiatives, noting the vital function of the non-public sector in driving bilateral commerce. He highlighted potential cooperation in textiles and different sectors, assuring that Sudan welcomes Pakistani traders.
The Ambassador of Kenya highlighted wide-ranging avenues for collaboration and prompt establishing a facilitation desk to streamline commerce and help enterprise communities on either side.
The convention was additionally attended by FPCCI Vice President Tariq Khan Jadoon, Capital Workplace Chairman Karim Aziz Malik, Syed Mazhar Ali Nasir Chairman FPCCI Africa Desk, Ibrahim Khalid Tawab Chairman Pakistan Ethopiya Enterprise Council of FPCCI, Mr. Badar Haroon EC Member FPCCI, Mr. Adil Obaid Convener, Ms. Ayesha Kha Deputy Convener FPCCI Standing Committee, Ms. Shamim Aftab Group Chief WCCI Sarghoda, Mr. Dost Ali Jan SVP RCSTSI, Mr. Asif Javed VP RCSTSI, Ms. Hina Zulfiqar VP WCCI Rawalpindi and outstanding enterprise figures. Contributors collectively underscored the necessity for joint motion to reinforce commerce, funding, and industrial networking.
A cake-cutting ceremony was additionally held in the course of the occasion to mark the Ethiopian New Yr.
