Entrepreneurs to be connected with Pak-American Diaspora members, says Clinton

US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that US is extending all possible support to connect Pakistani entrepreneurs with members of the Pakistan-American Diaspora who are eager to support new business ideas in Pakistan.
In a written statement on the occasion of Young Entrepreneurship Conference, titled "Inspiring a New Wave of Entrepreneurs" held in Islamabad in collaboration between Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) US Embassy, USAID, CIPE and Junior Chamber International organised, she said that people of Pakistan have always had an inspired entrepreneurial spirit and hoped for improvement in dialogue on opening up of new opportunities.
The key objective of the conference was to start a wave of entrepreneurial development, which is not limited to providing encouragement to potential entrepreneurs through technical assistance, mentoring and capacity building, but the same would ultimately lead to positive contribution to the overall economy by creating job opportunities, revenue businesses as well as for the government.
The conference started with the welcome note of YEF Chairman, Shaban Khalid. "The next great innovator could be sitting right next to you or may be yourself because after all today's well-known entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Tara Dawood all started. In his keynote address, Yassar Sakhi Butt, President, ICCI said that in the rapidly globalising world, entrepreneurship has attracted the attention of policymakers and think tanks as an important source of job creation.
However, despite its crucial role for the economy, there has been no systematic attempt to look at it from the youth angle. We believe that youth entrepreneurship promotes innovation and creativity, encourages young people to generate new ideas and find innovative solutions as well as play an active role in the economic development." Addressing a big crowd of young entrepreneurs and business students on the occasion, US Ambassador Cameron Munter stated, that he was struck by the common bonds shared between the citizens of Pakistan and the United States.
He stated that both countries can establish a firm foundation for future bilateral engagement and stronger people-to-people ties. The United States stands beside Pakistan as its entrepreneurs tackle the challenges of tomorrow, by promoting US funded professional exchange programs, establishing linkages with the Pakistani-American Diaspora community and developing finance solutions aimed at unlocking the capital necessary for Pakistan's entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises.
The ultimate aim of the conference was to stress upon various stakeholders towards the creation of a conducive and sustainable business environment for the young entrepreneurs.
Throughout the day, prominent speakers/entrepreneurs including Dr Nadeemul Haq, Chairman, Planning Commission, Asad Umer President Engro Corporation, Zafar Khan CEO Sofizar, Monis Rahman Chairman & CEO Naseeb Networks, A. Saman Dawood CEO Cyan & Professor Dr S. Sohail H. Naqvi, Executive Director HEC held interactive discussions on social entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurship and building bridges through diaspora business linkages. Besides that, the business leaders shared their inspiring success stories of building their business from the scratch and the failures they faced on the way.
In his video message, former chairman higher education commission Atta-ur-Rehman stressed to work on the mindset of students who avoid taking risks besides creating financial infrastructure and establishing information network required to encourage young entrepreneurs.