ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of the People’s Republic of Algeria, Lakhal Benkelai said that his country was keen to enhance trade with Pakistan as both countries have good potential to promote bilateral trade in many areas. He said the best way to promote two-way trade was to establish direct contacts between the private sectors of Pakistan and Algeria. He said Pakistan could import olive oil, petroleum products and natural gas from Algeria while Algeria could import food and many other consumer products from Pakistan. He said this while exchanging views with local business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Ambassador said a bigger Trade Expo will be held in Algeria from 28th May to 2nd June this year and large number of businessmen from Arab countries, Europe, Africa and Asia were expected to participate in this Expo. He said it was a good opportunity for Pakistani businessmen to attend the said expo and explore business opportunities in Algeria.
He said China was making investments in Algeria and Pakistani investors should also explore his country for joint ventures and investment. He said physical contacts between the entrepreneurs of both countries were keys to explore new avenues of mutual cooperation and stressed that both countries should facilitate interactions between their trade associations and encourage B2B meetings. He said ICCI should form a delegation for Algeria and assured that his Embassy would provide all possible cooperation to make its visit result-oriented.
Speaking at the occasion, Atif Ikram Sheikh, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Pakistan and Algeria should focus on further strengthening bilateral cooperation as both have the potential to take benefit from each other’s geographic locations for reaching to bigger regional markets. He said bilateral trade between Pakistan and Algeria was quite negligible and both countries should facilitate frequent exchange of trade delegations and participation in each other’s trade fairs which were the optimum tools for promoting bilateral trade and economic relations.
He said many Pakistani products including food, rice, textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments and leather goods could find good market in Algeria and Algeria should focus on importing these products from Pakistan. He said both countries should explore shorter trade routes that would help in boosting two-way trade. Sheikh Pervez Ahmed Senior Vice President and Sheikh Abdul Waheed, Vice President ICCI also offered many good suggestions to improve trade relations between the two countries.
