PESHAWAR: Ambassador of Brazil to Pakistan, Alfredo Leoni Monday said that governments of Barzil and Pakistan are working on a plan to relax travel restrictions and provide multiple visas to businessmen of both the countries with the objective of increasing bilateral trade.
He expressed these views while talking to business community of Peshawar during his visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI). President KPCCI, Afan Aziz, chamber members and prominent businessmen were present on the occasion.
Mr. Alferdo Leoni said Brazil is the largest commercial partner of Pakistan in Latin America and for further fostering these trade relations both the countries are going to sign an agreement of providing multiple visas to businessmen. He also disclosed that Pakistani export to Brazil has been increased by almost 80 percent from the year 2009 to 2011 from 44 million US dollar to 80 million dollar.
He said Brazil has become the 8th biggest consumer market in the world and businessmen of Pakistan should take benefit of this advantage by extending trade to Brazilian market. Brazil, he added, is a country of continental size with the 5th largest territory in the world and during the year 2011, Brazil total trade with world has reached to 482 billion US dollars.
Brazil Ambassador also urged the businessmen of Pakistan to improve countrys image in regard with security because people of Brazil, especially businessmen avoid visiting the country because of fear of terrorism attack. However, he hastened to add, security situation is much improved in Pakistan and his presence in Peshawar manifests this fact otherwise he would not have visited KP. The only problem, he added, is with image of the country which will improve with exchange of visits of businessmen from both the countries.
In response to a question, Mr. Alferdo Leoni said Brazil is extending technical assistance to Pakistan especially in agriculture sector. Referring to a demand of relaxation in custom clearance of goods, he said we can work bilaterally. He said long distance between our two countries had always been the biggest limitation for the improvement of trade relations. However, this fact is less important today with the multiple means of communication and facilities of flight to Brazil. He said direct flight to Brazil can easily be obtained on daily basis from Dubai.
The Brazilian Ambassador was accompanied by two Commercial Officers of Brazil Embassy who arrived with the objective of providing information on commercial trade to business community of KP.
Earlier, President KPCCI, Afan Aziz in his welcome address stressed the need of increasing ratio of visa issuance between the two countries. He said majority of the businessmen in Pakistan are Small Entrepreneurs and they face problems in clearance of their goods while visiting Brazil.
He said government of Pakistan should learn from the success story made by Brazilian government in overcoming socio-economic problems being faced by the country in 1980 to 1990.
He also appreciated the assistance provided by Brazil to the people of KP after the devastating floods in the province in the year 2010. The Brazilian government, he added, provided 710 tonnes of food for people of KP through WFP. Similarly, an amount of Rs. 130 million was provided by Brazil in 2011 for humanitarian purpose.
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