Pakistan High Commissioner to Kenya, Syed Zahid Hussain said on Saturday that High Commission and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) would make the warehouse scheme operational here soon to boost Pakistani exports to Kenya.
In an exclusive interview with APP here on Saturday, the High Commissioner said that imports into Africa is continuously increasing touching US $140 billion whereas Pakistan's exports for the last many years is stuck at around US $500 million per annum.
"It makes it less than 0.4 percent of total African imports. But contribution East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Eritrea), Pakistan's exports to Africa is significant (16 percent) out of US $500 million exports to Africa, he added.
Syed Zahid Hussain said that Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Karachi established Pakistan-Kenya Joint Business Counci1 (JBC) in 2001 but it remained dormant. He added on the occasion of 3rd JMC in July 2004, it was reactivated with an active involvement of Pak High Commission.
The High Commissioner said that JMC has provided a useful platform for bettor understanding and co-operation between private sectors of the two countries. Replying to a question, he said Pakistan and Kenya were supposed to hold their JMC in 2003 but it was being delayed due to one reason or the other. The JMC, he said was finally held herein July 2004 for which the high commission undertook proper preparations.
The High Commissioner said that Minister for Commerce, Humayun Akhtar Khan led the Pakistani delegation. The meeting, he said was also attended by Chairman EPB and the meetings enabled both the countries to review the ongoing initiatives of bilateral trade and co-operation and many MoUs were signed to further the relations between Pakistan and Kenya.
About the achievements of Pakistan High Commission Kenya, High Commissioner Syed Zahid Hussain said that PIA discontinued their flights operations during 1999 due to visa restrictions imposed by Kenya, which made the business enviable.
"Since my assuming the charge as High Commissioner, Kenya I aggressively followed with PIA for resumption of flights, these have already resumed from August 30, he remarked.
The High Commissioner expressed the hope that the step would go a long way in further strengthening bilateral relations especially in trade and business between the two countries. He said that there has been a ban on importing fruit and vegetables into Kenya from Pakistan since long.
"We aggressively followed with the government of Kenya's relevant departments and managed to get the ban lifted on Pakistani mangoes, citrus and onions in June 2004.
Trade relations between Kenya and Pakistan were seriously stained after Kenya put 45 percent additiona1 duty on Pakistani rice", he added.
Hussain said that Pakistan is the largest exporter of rice to Kenya. The High Commission, he said also managed to help the issue resolved with extensive engagement with Ministries of Trade, Finance and Regional Co-operation that deals specifically with the East African regional trade affairs.
"We actively co-ordinated with the relevant ministries in Pakistan and the rice exporters to keep pressure on to have the duty on rice reduced to its pre-Common External Tariff level", he added.
Zahid Hussain said the Kenyan government finally agreed in May last to continue charging the old duty rate ie 35 percent for the next two years. "I feel that Pakistan and Kenya need a big boost to upgrade their bilateral relations through interaction at the highest level and I have been endeavouring for such an interaction", he added.
He said that the High Commission had organised the visits of many trade delegations from Pakistan to Kenya and accredited countries in addition to the facilities provided to the individual businessmen visiting East Africa from Pakistan and vice versa. He added PIA passengers from Pakistan will be facilitated on arrival with visa at the airport.
Comments
Comments are closed.