LAHORE: Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan Dr Cyrill Jean Nunn has said that by using renewable energy sources, Pakistan can cope with challenges of soaring energy needs. Being world leader in this sector, Germany could extend cooperation to Pakistan in bridging demand and supply gap.
He was talking to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Ijaz A. Mumtaz here on Thursday. Former Chairman WAPDA Tariq Hameed, former LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar and Executive Committee Members were present on the occasion.
German Ambassador urged the private sector of Pakistan to take full advantage of the GSP Plus Status facility granted by the European Union. He said that tourism sector of Pakistan has a lot of potential it should be promoted through joint ventures.
He said the German government was fully committed to the rapid expansion of renewable energies and has created enabling environment for investment in renewable energy sector.
On the trade between Pakistan and Germany, the Ambassador said that concerted efforts were being made to take the two-way trade volume to new heights and in coming days the situation would take a positive turn.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that Pakistan and Germany enjoy cordial relations. Governments of the both countries want to take the level of their friendship to higher levels. He said that together we envisage greater business to business contacts, greater foreign investment, bilateral university exchanges and cooperation in research and development.
He said that Pakistan is a huge market of more than 180 million people. He said that Pakistani business community appreciates German advocacy for Pakistan’s case within the European Union which has given us Pakistan-specific Autonomous Trade Preferences (ATPs). He said that it is also the largest trading partner of Pakistan within the EU. He also lauded the support of Germany for Pakistan in the granting of GSP Plus Status.
Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that over the past five decades, Germany has carried out a multitude of projects in Pakistan with a volume of more than 21 billion Euros. He said that this includes investing in economic projects, alternate energy solutions, opportunities for students and public-private partnership under GIZ (German Technical Cooperation) for vocational trainings.
