FAISALABAD-Madam Mary Nyambura Kamau, the high commissioner of Kenya, emphasised the need to strengthen bilateral trade relations between Pakistan and her country to unlock their full potential.
She was speaking to the business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) on Monday. Madam Kamau referred to Faisalabad as a land of opportunities and highlighted the robust and friendly bilateral relations between Kenya and Pakistan, primarily centered around trade and investment. She underscored the pivotal role that chambers like the FCCI play in connecting business communities and fostering strong bilateral trade ties.
Madam Kamau commended the FCCI for its efforts to enhance its economic significance and pledged full support from the Kenyan High Commission to facilitate connections between the FCCI members and reliable importers and exporters in Kenya. She expressed the mission’s commitment to furthering realisation of trade and investment potential through collaboration with relevant stakeholders in both the government and private sectors. She suggested the development of dynamic mechanisms to address trade and investment barriers and encouraged the organisation of joint business networking meetings, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, and other promotional activities.
In response to a question, Madam Kamau assured that Kenya maintains a satisfactory law and order situation, providing a safe entry point for Pakistani investors seeking opportunities in neighboring countries. Dr. Khurram Tariq, president of the FCCI, welcomed high commissioner and attendees and provided historical context to Faisalabad’s development. Highlighting the economic significance of Faisalabad to Pakistan, he noted that approximately 35% of Pakistan’s GDP originates from this region, contributing significantly, around 60-80%, to country’s total export revenue. He stressed that the FCCI served as a gateway to opportunities within the textile and apparel manufacturing sectors and acknowledged various initiatives aimed at boosting trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two countries. However, he emphasised that there is still untapped potential to be explored. He highlighted city’s transformation into third-largest industrial, commercial, and business hub in Pakistan, with a thriving textile sector recognized globally as textile capital of the country.