ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s size, geographical importance and abundant natural resources provide an ample opportunity for it to play a greater role in the global economy, USAID Mission Director Dr Andrew Sisson has pointed out.
He was speaking at the Public-Private Sector Consultative Roundtable Meeting on Trade, organised by US Agency for International Development’s Pakistan Trade Project with support of Ministry of Commerce.
The roundtable has been organised with an aim to develop a platform to work for stakeholders to work together for aiding Pakistan achieve the status of playing even greater role in the world market.
“Several important trade initiatives are already in progress through USAID’s Trade Project, which is working to help modernise Pakistan’s trade environment, support a level playing field for all industries and help businesses access export opportunities,” he added.
USAID is also playing its role in augmenting the effectiveness of the commercial officers program in a bid to promote and facilitate trade and develop an electronic trade portal as a valuable online tool for the government, Pakistani exporters and international buyers to easily access real time information.
He said the agency was also providing analytical assistance to identify opportunities for trade facilitation and support border post infrastructure development such as the high bridges for Chaman and Torkham.
Highlighting the importance of a healthy investment climate, he said that a more convivial atmosphere could help spur prosperity through economic development and promote the proliferation of new business, creating an environment wherein complying with regulations brings more benefits than costs, embedding innovation, encouraging entrepreneurship and new ideas as more of the world’s markets are given the opportunity to enjoy Pakistani products.
It was also noted that it may succeed in establishing a new paradigm for cooperation between the public and private sectors working in trade. He pointed out that public-private partnership was an extremely powerful tool in development and has been key to enduring solutions to some of greatest economic challenges.
Speaking on the occasion, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tariq Puri has pledged that the authority in collaboration with USAID has taken a strong initiative to develop electronic trade portal to provide knowledge-based information to the world businessmen.
He said that Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for establishing the portal has been finalised which would be signed soon adding that it would help businessmen to know about the business opportunities and devise investment policies.
The portal would be user-friendly to help facilitate businessmen besides enhancing quality of output; he reasoned that the portal would replace other activities to promote trade in a more effective manner.
He said that the prime minister has described 2011 as ‘Export Year’ and added that TDAP has undertaken several initiatives to promote trade throughout the year.
