President Alvi encourages foreigners to invest in SEZs under CPEC

The ambassadors-designate of Germany, Spain, Belgium, Libya, Kenya, and Ethiopia presented their credentials to President Dr Arif Alvi at a ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday.

Ambassador of Germany, Alfred Grannas; Ambassador of Spain, Jose Antonia de Ory Peral; Ambassador of Belgium, Charles Delogne; Ambassador of Libya, Moamer Z. O. Abdalmotlab; Ambassador of Kenya, Mary Nyambura Kamau, and Ambassador of Ethiopia, Jemal Beker Abdula, made separate calls on the president.

Talking to the German Ambassador, the president said that Germany was one of the largest foreign direct investors in Pakistan.

He said that German firms with expertise in wind and solar energy as well as in hydel power projects could take advantage of new sets of incentives offered by Pakistan in these sectors.

The president encouraged German investors to invest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He said that keeping in view the huge potential of business, trade and investment between the two countries, the existing level of bilateral trade needed to be substantially improved. He stressed the need for bilateral cooperation between the two countries to mitigate the negative fallout of climate change and global warming against the backdrop of devastating floods in Pakistan.

Talking to the ambassador of Spain, the president expressed the need to further expand bilateral relations in the economic, trade, investment and tourism sectors. He appreciated the Spanish support to Pakistan on GSP-Plus Scheme and hoped that this support would continue in future as well. He stressed the need for the early finalization of an agreement on defence cooperation between the two countries.

Talking to the Belgian ambassador, the president stressed the need to substantially increase the volume of bilateral trade from its exiting volume of US$ 1.35 billion by increasing the pace of exchanges of business delegations, participating in trade fairs and launching joint ventures as well as forging meaningful cooperation in agriculture, port handling and dredging, and science and technology.

To the ambassador of Libya, the president stressed the need for expanding the scope of trade ties and exploring new avenues of economic cooperation between the two countries. He expressed the hope that the new ambassador, appointed after a gap of 11 years, would work towards further deepening the relationship between the two brotherly nations.

Talking to the Kenyan ambassador, the president said that Pakistan accorded utmost importance to the economic and trade ties with Kenya. He also expressed satisfaction over the existing level of bilateral cooperation and coordination in the areas of trade, economy, defence and border management.

During his discussion with the Ethiopian ambassador, the president appreciated the decision of Ethiopian leadership to open a diplomatic mission in Islamabad, and expressed the hope that it would improve bilateral relations, enhance mutual exchanges, and would open a new era of friendship and cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

He also welcomed the increasing cooperation between the two countries in the aviation sector and the commencement of two weekly direct flights reconnecting Karachi with Africa through Addis Ababa.

Meanwhile, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince, Deputy Prime of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud expressed their condolences and sympathies with President Dr Arif Alvi over the loss of lives and injures to scores of others in the recent floods, inundating different regions of Pakistan.

“In his cable, the King expressed profound sorrow and sincere sympathy to the President of Pakistan, families of the deceased and the friendly people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, wishing the deceased Allah Almighty’s mercy and forgiveness, their relatives every patience, and the injured a speedy recovery and appealing to Allah Almighty to preserve the President and people of Pakistan against any harm,” the contents of the cable shared by President of Pakistan’s Press Wing and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on its official Twitter handle on Monday.

While in his cable, the Saudi crown prince and deputy prime minister expressed his profound sorrow and sincere sympathy with the President of Pakistan and the families of deceased. He also prayed for the deceased and wished speedy recovery for the injured people.