Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Najam Sethi has said that Pakistani businessmen should focus on the African region as it is destined to become a global growth centre for having enormous trade and tourism potential.
Sethi was speaking at the second Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Africa Show on Saturday.
LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar and Dean of African Ambassadors, High Commissioner of Kenya Mishi Masika Mwatsahu, LCCI Senior Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Vice President Mian Abuzar Shad, and Zafar Mahmood, convener LCCI Standing Committee on Pakistan Africa Business Promotion also spoke on the occasion.
Sethi said that Pakistan should not lose any opportunity to tap the African market wherein the neighbouring India had already made great penetration. “It is not only the gold, diamonds and oil reserves that are a great attraction but a number of other untapped sectors including education and tourism provide a solid reason to Pakistani businessmen to increase their interaction with their African counterparts,” he said.
He said that Pakistani diplomats working in the outer world need to reset their priorities as foreign diplomats in Pakistan are committed to securing trade and presence of large number of African ambassadors and high commissioners in the event arranged by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an ample proof of their commitment to their respective countries.
The caretaker chief minister showed displeasure over the absence of Foreign Office representative in the mega Africa Show saying that they should have participated in the event.
The chief minister said that Nelson Mandela is an amazing leader because of his dedication and inspiration. He encouraged the actions of others and motivated others towards acceptance of people that are different, Sethi added.
Speaking on the occasion, the Dean of Ambassadors Mishi Masika Mwatsahu congratulated the people and the govt of Pakistan for holding elections that many international observers have described as free and fair. This is a significant achievement for Pakistan’s democracy, she added.
She said that Africa Day is a day of significant importance to the people of Africa because it commemorates the day of the African Union. It is the day in 1963 that the 30 out of the 32 independent African states signed founding charter in Addis Ababa Ethiopia that established the defunct Organisation of African Unity the precursor of the African Union.
The Ambassador said that last year while celebrating Africa Day, the formation of the Africa Pakistan Friendship and Business Association was announced as a means to further consolidate the friendship and business relations between the Chamber and Africa. She said that the work is in progress and near conclusion.
She said that desires and hopes of the people of Africa are to be free, happy and prosperous. As the inhabitants of the cradle of mankind, the people of Africa also desire to have genuine friends throughout the world. She also paid tribute to LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar and Convener LCCI Standing Committee Zafar Mahmood for arranging Africa Show.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Iftikhar said that Africa is a potential market for Pakistani rice while African businessmen could supply us leather, fertilizers, cotton, textile products and agricultural products which Pakistan does not produce. He said that exchange of students, doctors, teachers and scholars should take place on regular basis.
The LCCI president said that visa policies should be relaxed for each other to overcome unnecessary bottlenecks.
Earlier, Chief Minister Sethi inaugurated the exhibition, took a round of the exhibition hall and spent some time at the stalls established by the embassies of Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Libya, Mauritius and Sudan.
Meanwhile the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry also hosted a dinner in honour of the ambassadors at Governor’s House.
Sethi urges Pakistani businessmen to focus on African region
