Pakistan News & Features Services
Haroon Agar, President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), has expressed the eagerness to explore trading opportunities with the South American countries like Suriname.
“It is the need of the time to explore trading opportunities with South American countries including Suriname. The government has to take meaningful steps to explore this huge market where our competing countries have already entered a long time ago and enjoying handsome business,” he remarked after a recent meeting with Mr Anwer S Lall Mohamed, Ambassador-at-Large and Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Suriname, at the Republic’s Honorary Consulate General in Karachi. The Honorary Consul General, Aziz Memon, was also present on the occasion.
“We are already late to enter there however, Pakistan can capture its share on the grounds of its talented and skilled manpower and production of high quality products,” the KCCI President reckoned.
“The trade between Pakistan and Suriname is nominal at the moment. Commercial counsellors and trade officers should be appointed in the South American country in order to enhance the bilateral trade. Let’s explore the untapped South American, African and Central Asian markets besides focusing on North American and European Union (EU) trading blocs,” he suggested.
“The government should induct qualified and professional commercial counsellors who could act as the marketing managers of Pakistan and they should be given clear periodical targets for enhancing trade and investment. The regular exchange of information between the commercial section abroad and the leading chambers also played a vital link,” Haroon Agar emphasized.
He assured the visiting envoy of the KCCI’s fullest support in respect to enhancing trade and exploring possibilities of businesses with its counterpart Surinamese Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Anwar Lall Mohamed was of the opinion that immense possibilities for trade between Pakistan and Suriname did exist but they were yet to be explored.
He disclosed that Suriname, whose population is over half a million, has an emerging economy which grew 4.5% in 2012 backed by strong growth in commodity exports and local construction activity.
“The IMF assessed economic outlook of Suriname as favourable and the growth is expected to accelerate due to continued high commodity prices. The economy will also benefit from large investments that are underway in the mining of gold, petroleum, bauxite and the renewable energy sectors of hydro-electric and solar,” he revealed.
“The Government of Suriname has established the Investment and Development Corporation to promote both local and foreign investment. The targeted sectors for investment are agriculture, forestry, Water Resources, Manufacturing, Tourism, Healthcare and Housing while those for exports are agriculture, timber, gold, alumina and bottled water,” Anwar Lall Mohamed informed.
He advised the interested investors and traders to contact the Investment and Development Cooperation of Suriname, based in capital Paramaribo, through the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).
Mr Memon should invite the Suriname President to visit Pakistan with a large business delegation
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