KARACHI, June 3: Sierra Leone has offered land free of cost having long-term lease to Pakistani growers for cultivation of cash crops like sugarcane and rice to meet its domestic requirements and to export. Pakistan has planned to set up warehousing facility in African countries to facilitate local sales. In the absence of strong and dependable financial and banking system, the exporters were unable to fully exploit the potential of African market.

Under a well thought out plan Pakistan is working out its export strategy on regional basis with emphasis on those markets, which have been neglected so far. In first phase, Central Asia was tapped where trade delegation led by high-ups of Ministry of Commerce made extensive tour followed by business visits to South America and now Africa.

During recent visit to African countries by a trade delegation led by secretary of commerce Tasneem Noorani, major decisions were taken to penetrate into African markets.

Talking to Dawn on telephone from Islamabad Secretary Ministry of Commerce Tasneem Noorani said that 13 Pakistani ambassadors meeting was called and they were asked to give presentation on country of their deputation.

During the meeting a strategy was evolved aimed at exploiting potential of the African market, which had been neglected by exporters owing to certain difficulties. In order to overcome the financial deficiency, he said it was decided to set up a warehousing facility in Kenya, Johannesburg and some West African country. This will help exporters to make local sales.

Mr Noorani further said that it was also decided hat besides commercial consular, Pakistan would also appoint market officers who would be a local from respective country and their expenditure would be borne by the Export Development Fund (EDF).

The delegation also called on Sierra Leone president Dr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah who stressed for enhancing bilateral trade relation between the two countries. Appreciating the role of Pakistan army’s contingent in the UN’s peace keeping force (UNAMSL) in his country President Kabbah expressed his desire to visit Pakistan at the first available opportunity to personally convey his gratitude to the people of Pakistan.

Dr Kabbah assured his full support to strengthen the trade and economic relations between the two countries, Mr Noorani said. Both sides also identified rice, textiles, pharmaceuticals and agricultural implements as sectors in which Sierra Leone can increase its imports from Pakistan. Besides, palm oil plantations, pharmaceuticals and textiles were recognized as the areas for possible economic cooperation in the future.

It was agreed that Sierra Leone would provide further information for the consideration of Pakistani manufacturers for joint ventures in Sierra Leone.