ISLAMABAD: Younos Abdul Karim, the High Commissioner of Malawi to Pakistan, expressed his country’s keen interest in enhancing bilateral trade relations with Pakistan. He highlighted the substantial potential for mutually beneficial trade between the two nations across various commodities.
During his visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) alongside a delegation, the High Commissioner emphasized Malawi’s ongoing efforts to establish a conducive business environment. He underscored the country’s focus on attracting investments in sectors such as the hotel industry, tourism, construction, and agriculture sector, with the aim of ensuring sustainable economic development. The High Commissioner encouraged Pakistani investors to explore opportunities for joint ventures and investments in Malawi.
Furthermore, he said that the Chief Executive of the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) would soon visit Pakistan. He proposed signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICCI and MCCCI to facilitate business linkages between the private sectors of both countries to explore avenues of collaboration.
The High Commissioner also urged ICCI to organize a delegation to Malawi, fostering interaction with counterparts from Malawi and facilitating potential business partnerships. He assured that his High Commission would provide necessary support for such initiatives.
In his address, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, underlined the significance of strengthening trade in Malawi, a landlocked Southeast African nation. He acknowledged the underdeveloped bilateral trade due to limited information and awareness. Bakhtawari lauded the visit of the Malawian business delegation as a positive step and emphasized the need for consistent exchange of trade delegations to deepen understanding and explore untapped areas of collaboration.
Malawi Pakistan Trade Opportunities
Bakhtawari pointed out the potential for Pakistan to export a range of goods to Malawi and other African countries, that include textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, rice, agricultural products, chemicals, sports goods, and leather products. Conversely, Pakistan could source various raw materials and essential products from Malawi and other African countries to bolster its exports to Africa.
Highlighting the vital role of close cooperation between private sectors, Bakhtawari envisioned stronger bilateral trade ties. He referenced ICCI’s prior delegation to Ethiopia to explore the African market and indicated the potential for a similar initiative to Malawi.
