KARACHI, July 7: Kenyan High Commissioner David M. Mutemi and FPCCI president Riaz Ahmed Tata have agreed to activate the Pakistan-Kenya Joint Business Council to exploit potential for boosting trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

In a meeting with the FPCCI members here, the Kenyan high commissioner said that his emphasis was to use the platform of chambers of commerce and industry as engines of growth and trade promotion between the two countries. He agreed that the trade between Pakistan and Kenya did not reflect the cordial relations between the two countries.

He said that the pharmaceutical industry was fairly well developed and fruits comparatively cheaper in Pakistan and he would want the Kenya businessmen to explore possibilities of their import into Kenya. He announced that Kenya had appointed an honorary consul in Lahore also and hoped that its honorary consuls in Karachi and Lahore will promote trade between the two countries.

The FPCCI president called for more trade and economic cooperation between developing countries as their trade with developed countries was becoming difficult because of customs and non-customs barriers and other restrictions.

Mr Tata suggested that Kenya should look into the possibility of opening of leading Kenyan banks branches in Pakistan. He said that a Pakistan-Kenya ministerial meeting would be held at the end of this month in Nairobi and it was proposed that the Pakistan-Kenya Business Council meeting be held simultaneously.

Former FPCCI president Tariq Sayeed said that there was a need to activate the Pakistan-Kenya Business Council, which was formed through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the national chambers of commerce and industry of the two counties in 1996.

Meanwhile, the Kenyan high commissioner also held a meeting with Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry acting president Mohammad Saeed Shafiq. On this occasion, Mr Mutemi said that the trade volume between the two countries was around $250 million, which could be increased to around $600 to $800 million in view of vast scope of joint ventures in Kenya.

He suggested that a joint business forum might be formed, comprising representatives of the chambers of commerce and industry from both countries. The KCCI acting president informed the Kenyan envoy that the chamber was organising an exhibition - My Karachi: Oasis of Harmony - on July 30, 31 and August 1, 2004.

He suggested that businessmen and investors from Kenya should come and visit the exhibition since it would greatly help in identifying possibilities of joint ventures and to increase economic cooperation between the two countries.