Pakistan: Belgium can provide technical, financial support

Staff Report

KARACHI: Belgium is Pakistan’s 4th largest trading partner in Europe despite the fact that there exists tremendous potential but the same has not been expedited to its fullest extent.

Tariq Iqbal Puri, Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) while meeting with Michel Kempeneers, Director, Asia-Pacific Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX), Belgium asked him for Belgium’s technical and financial support in the areas of meat, pharmaceuticals, corporate agriculture and halal food meat certification and logistic etc.

He requested for Belgium’s support in enhancing meat production capacity as per international standards. He sought the help of Belgium in lifting ban on Pakistani seafood exports to the EU.

Kempeneers said several Belgium companies specifically from Wallon Region are interested in establishing partnership with leading Pakistani companies in the field of baby cereals,speareadable butter, livestock, waste management, hatcheries and medical sector, ports and shipping and aeronautical sector.

Chief Executive assured him of TDAP’s full support and asked Kempeneers to identify important international events for pharmaceutical products, for participation by Pakistani companies and exploring joint venture possibilities.

He also invited a delegation from Belgium to attend Expo Pakistan October 2011 and emphasised both TPO may consider entering into an MoU for enhancing bilateral trade.