ISLAMABAD: The Roving Ambassador-designate of Finland to South Asia Harri Kämäräinen along with Honorary Consul of Finland in Pakistan Asad Ansari visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and said that his country has advanced technology and expertise in health, energy, and forests, and it could help Pakistan boost development in these sectors.
Speaking at the occasion, he said that Finland’s company Nokia has brought revolution in health sector due to its involvement in health technology. Health was the fastest growing exports industry in Finland and Pakistan could get good benefits from Finland’s advancement in this field. Finland has been using forest resources for business and industry for the last over 500 years and Pakistan could learn a lot from Finland for improving its forest industry and promoting a green environment. Finland has achieved great progress in energy efficiency and by developing close cooperation with Finland, Pakistan could make efficient use of energy in industrial and other sectors.
He said the Information Technology (IT) sector also offered good potential for cooperation between the two countries as many students of Pakistan were already getting IT education in Finland. Finland’s Outotec company provided process technologies and services for metals and mining, industrial water treatment, alternative energy and chemical industries and it could help Pakistan in developing its mining sector on modern lines.
Finland’s world-renowned company Wartsila was already in Pakistan and more could come to Pakistan for business and investment. He assured that he would try to pay more visits to Pakistan to improve linkages with the business community, he added.
Speaking at the occasion, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sheikh Amir Waheed said that given the size of both economies, bilateral trade between Pakistan and Finland was not up to the real potential and both sides should focus on a frequent exchange of trade delegations to improve trade relations. He identified engineering, agriculture, energy, mining, telecommunication, biotechnology, health and education as potential areas of mutual cooperation between the two countries and stressed for promoting B2B contacts between the private sectors of Pakistan and Finland to explore business matchmakings.
ICCI Senior Vice President Muhammad Naveed and Vice President Nisar Mirza said that CPEC has created plenty of business and investment opportunities in Pakistan and it was the right time that Finnish investors should explore JVs and investment in CPEC.
