March 28, 2006	Tuesday	Safar 27, 1427

ISLAMABAD, March 27: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Monday invited the trade minister of Lesotho to visit Pakistan in the near future to explore opportunities of trade and investment between the two countries.

The minister extended the invitation in a meeting with Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho Monyane Moleleki here on Monday.

An official announcement said that the commerce minister stated that Pakistan was focusing on enhancing economic relations with African countries. In this context a warehouse was being established in Kenya, he added.

Lesotho is located in Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa with a population of 1,867,035 and its government type is parliamentary constitutional monarchy.

Pakistan’s exports to Lesotho value at $1.582 million and imports are $0.149 million. Pakistan’s major exports to Lesotho are rice, cotton fabrics and medical/surgical instruments whereas Pakistan is importing only raw cotton from Lesotho.

During the meeting both sides agreed to facilitate the exchange of business delegations in order to explore the untapped business opportunities in the two countries.

Both the ministers informed each other of their country’s economic profiles and recent improvements in their respective economies.

Mr Moleleki invited textile manufacturers and investors from Pakistan to take full advantage of the facilities and concessions granted by his country in the textile sector as Lesotho is a member of Southern African Development Committee (SADC) and South African Customs Union and African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The foreign minister apprised of the fiscal incentives extended by the Lesotho government for the trade and industry.

He expressed his interest in the leather/shoe sector and he was highly impressed by the surgical goods manufactured in Pakistan.