KARACHI: The Textile and Leather Division (TLD), Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Karachi, organized a webinar on Thursday in collaboration with missions in Africa to explore opportunities for enhancing exports of textile and leather.

The speakers at the webinar were trade and investment counsellors of the African region, Muhammad Qazafi (Algeria), Shoaib Anwar (Dakar), Junaid Ahmed (Morocco), Ali Tamkin Butt (Lagos) and Humaira Israr (South Africa). The webinar was attended by representatives of relevant associations and leading exporters in the textile and leather sector.

Officials said the main objective of the webinar was to make exporters aware of the export procedures and requirements and potential of and barriers to trade in the African market. Trade and investment counsellors informed the audience that Africa was a non-traditional and untapped market for Pakistani products.

It had a huge potential for export of textile and leather products. "To capture the market share, we have to ensure our presence in the market by sending delegations" to exhibitions held in the African countries.

Also, there are opportunities for joint ventures to increase export due to investment-friendly policies of the countries. However, there are certain hurdles in export to African countries such as lack of banking channels and issues in LC opening. To resolve this issue the trade and investment counsellors have already asked the ministry of commerce and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to open banking channels in the African countries.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020