KARACHI: Kenyan High Commissioner Julius Kibet Bitok has invited the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to participate and support the forthcoming Trade and Investment Conference scheduled to be organised in Karachi on May 2nd and May 3rd, 2018 which will be attended by leading Kenyan businessmen and Chambers of Commerce and Industry from different parts of the world.
Exchanging views with KCCI office bearers and managing committee members during his visit to the Karachi chamber, Kenyan HC said that the trade and investment conference would provide a perfect opportunity for business-to-business (B2B) meetings with businessmen from Kenya and other parts of the world. “You (the Karachi chamber) must collaborate and partner with us in order to make this event successful”, he added.
KCCI President Muffasar Atta Malik, Senior Vice President Abdul Basit Abdul Razzak, Vice President Rehan Hanif, Chairman Diplomatic Mission and Embassies Liaison Sub-Committee Sohail Amin, Chairman Fairs and Exhibitions Sub-Committee Abdul Rehman Naqi, Chairman Special Committee for ‘My Karachi Exhibition’ Muhammad Idrees and KCCI Managing Committee Members attended the meeting.
Julius Bitok, while expressing worries over the limited trade volume between Pakistan and Kenya, advised the business and industrial community of Karachi to focus on diversifying their exports to Kenya in order to improve the existing trade volume between the two countries.
He said that rice and tea were two main commodities which were traditionally being traded between the two countries but there were a host of many other Pakistani products which can not only be introduced in the Kenyan market but also to many other African nations via Kenya.
Kenyan HC also underscored the need to promote tourism opportunities between the two countries and enhance linkages between Nairobi Chamber and Karachi Chamber which would bring the business communities of the two countries closer to each other and yield positive results.
To a query, he said that Kenya, being an economically stable country, was a safe place for the Pakistani business community who must visit this peaceful country where doing business was much easier as compared to other African states.
KCCI President in his remarks, extended full support and cooperation to the Kenyan High Commission (KHC) for making the Trade and Investment Conference successful. Seeking more details about the forthcoming event, he assured to make sincere efforts to maximise participation and B2B meetings between the business communities of Karachi and Kenya.
He was of the view that there was a huge potential to enhance bilateral trade between Kenya and Pakistan. As Kenya is one of the largest countries in East Africa, Pakistan can export pharmaceutical and surgical items, sports goods, and farm machinery etc.
Muffasar Malik said that the Karachi Chamber wants to promote business, mutual understanding and friendly relations between Pakistan and Kenya. “We also want to promote Kenyan investment and partnerships in Pakistan and do everything for the development of Pakistan–Kenya business cooperation”, he added.
He also underscored the need for having a reciprocal visa policy in order to pave the way for improved trade and investment relations between the two countries.
