LAHORE: Somalian government is planning to hold a single country exhibition of Pakistani products in Somalia during the month of June of this year. It was revealed by the Deputy Commercial Attaché of Somalia Abdifitah AbdulKadir Osman while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The LCCI Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal also spoke on the occasion while Mian Zahid Javed, Shahzad Azam Khan, Rehmatullah Javed were also present. Deputy Commercial Attaché said that no international exhibition has been held ever in Somalia.
He said that there is no Expo Centre there in Somalia and for local exhibitions they book hotels so that, they want guidance from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry as it is a largest & leading chamber of commerce in Pakistan.
There is a need to remove the interaction gap between the business communities of the two countries. Pakistani business community has not yet explored the potential in Somalian Market due to lack of information. He said that Pakistani products are coming in Somalia via other countries. He said that direct trade would be equally beneficial for the both countries. He said that a large number of Somalis are getting education in Pakistan.
At present, 25 members in Parliament of Somalia are graduated from Pakistani Universities. The LCCI Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal suggested establishment of “Pakistan Somalia Business Council” that will help business to business interactions of people of both sides and will help hold this exhibition.
He said that Pakistan has huge export potential in sports good, textile items, Surgical equipment, rice, processed food and pharmaceutical sectors. It is worth noticing that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Somalia is following an increasing trend and it is also in favour of Pakistan. From 2017 to 2018, the level of bilateral trade went up from dollar 50.2 million to dollar 57.7 million due to 15 percent rise in exports of Pakistan to Somalia. Pakistan’s exports to Somalia consist of rice, sugar and pharmaceutical products etc.
“We have the capacity to meet the demands of Somalia for home appliances, electrical items, motorbikes, articles of apparel and plastics etc.”, the LCCI Vice president said.
