ISLAMABAD : President of Pak-Africa business forum Omar Shahid Butt, on Thursday, stressed that Pakistan needed to enhance business links with Africa not only through trade but also by imparting skills and education in African nations.

Mr Butt who is also the honorary vice counsel of Ghana, said that Rwanda was a gateway to Africa for Pakistan, and likewise Ghana can be the base for Pakistani exporters and importers for the whole of West Africa.

“Increasing business links can open up the entire African continent for Pakistani exports through the bases in these two countries only,” he said.

He also said that the African nations needed cheap and reliable goods and services in almost all sectors ranging from IT, consumer and industrial items,and medicines etc.He further said that Pakistan can also benefit from African imports like cocoa, vanilla, petroleum crude and minerals.

Mr Butt recently hosted the Pakistani High Commissioner nominated for Rwanda, Naeem Khan along with major exporters representing pharma, textile, IT, and the representatives of electrical cables etc.

“We have formulated a comprehensive strategy to increase Pakistani exports to central African countries with base in Rwanda and Congo,” Mr Butt said.

He added that although an initiative by the government would be beneficial to improve Pak-Africa trade relations but the support of the private sector would be needed as well. He also expressed his determination to support the government in this matter in the country’s interest President of Pak-Africa Business Forum said one of the key reasons of limited trade between African nations and Pakistan was lack of proper knowledge and information. He said that Rwanda and Ghana were very safe and peaceful countries and Pakistani investors needed to visit these places and similarly the traders, business community and even the officials in African nations had a fearful image of Pakistan.

Mr Butt said that African countries were part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) vision of China like CPEC was for Pakistan, and coordination and development of trade and human resource will eventually benefit Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023